Stay With Me
by ZebbieCullen
Summary: A Babe fic, but Morelli friendly. Steph has some surprising news that could either make or break her relationship with Ranger.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: It's a Babe fic. All characters belong to Janet Evanovich and all mistakes are mine. BTW, I've only read up to book eleven, so sorry if anything is incorrect. Enjoy, and please review._

Ranger had always said that he didn't do relationships. He never elaborated or explained, but then, he was the kind of guy who kept his private life private. I do my best to respect that, but sometimes I wish he would let me in a bit more. I already know Ranger, but I don't know Carlos.

Ever since I met him there had been something between us, chemistry that we couldn't ignore. I always got my hopes up when he told me he loved me, but it always ended with 'in my own way' or 'we all love you'. 'We' being his Merry Men.

I tried to keep my distance from him, but he always had a way to find me. So when I didn't turn up at RangeMan and then didn't answer my phone, I knew it was only a matter of time before he stopped by my apartment to make sure I hadn't been kidnapped.

I sighed and left the bathroom. I got a grape out of the fridge and dropped it into Rex's cage. He scrambled out of his soup can, shoved the grape into his mouth and then scrambled back inside.

"What am I going to do?" I asked him. "Three tests don't lie."

I looked at the clock and dragged myself back into the bathroom to clean up. I ran a bit of gel through my hair, tied it back, applied mascara, eye liner, lip gloss and foundation and then went to get dressed. I debated whether or not to call Lula and tell her that I wouldn't be at the office today, but then decided against it as she'd be able to sense something was wrong and I'd blurt out everything. She would tell Connie and in twenty minutes everyone in the Burg would know.

"Hey, Babe."

I let out a small scream and turned around to see Ranger's dark eyes focused on me. He was leaning against the doorframe and was dressed in his usual black. Black cargo pants with a dozen pockets filled with who knows what, a black shirt painted on his biceps and a black jacket. He was half-smiling. He was either happy to see me or I was entertaining him again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to stall for time before I dropped the bomb.

I realised I probably should have called the cops in case he killed me, not that I thought he would, but I've learnt that it doesn't hurt to be careful. But then I would have had to face Morelli and after the fight we had a few months ago I didn't think that was a good idea. We were in the _off again_ stage of our relationship.

"Just checking your okay. You weren't answering your phone."

I shrugged, avoiding his eyes. I kept trying to deny that I was in love with him and push the lust away, but every time I saw him the feelings resurfaced. But like I've said before, a woman would have to be dead not to be attracted to him. Or gay.

"I'm fine."

Ranger clearly didn't believe me. He took a step closer and put two fingers under my chin, tilting my head up to look at him. That was when I snapped and tears filled my eyes. A look of confusion flickered across his face before he wrapped his arms around me into him. I buried my face into his neck as a few tears escaped me.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" he asked, placing a soft kiss just below my ear.

I slowly shook my head and breathed in his sent. Bulgari, yum.

"You and Morelli have another fight?"

I shook my head again. "No, we broke up months ago. You know that."

We broke up months ago and Ranger had been there for me. Listening as I bitched and ranted about Morelli. I don't know how that escalated to sleeping together, but it did, and I was in this mess because of it.

"What would you do if I told you I was pregnant?"

He looked at me and there was something in his eyes I hadn't seen before, but a second later it was gone. He took a step back and looked at me. "You're…" he finally said. "Steph…_shit_!"

More tears rolled down my cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair and, instead of leaving like I thought he might, he pulled me into another hug and held me close, muttering something in Spanish to himself. I made a mental note to buy a dummies guide to Spanish.

"Are you sure?" he whispered after what seemed like hours.

"Three pregnancy tests don't lie, Ranger," I repeated what I said to Rex earlier.

"Who's the father?"

I had almost lost the ability to speak, but was able to get the word, "You," out.

He looked shocked for a moment before he put his had on my cheek and whipped the salty tears away. "Shhh."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"Babe, what are you sorry for? If anything it's my fault, I should have asked if you were on birth control."

Ranger tucked a stray curl behind my ear and kissed my forehead, send sparks through my body. The something in his eyes was back again and he looked like he was having trouble staying on his feet so I sat down on the bed and dragged him down with me.

"Are you keeping it?"

I had been debating that very question with myself for the past few hours. My mom would have a farm, let alone a cow, when she found out I was having a baby out of wedlock without even a boyfriend, but no way could I kill _Ranger's_ child. "Do you want me to keep it?" I asked.

He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "Do _you_ want to keep it? It's your body, Steph. I won't be mad if you choose to get rid of it."

This wasn't the reaction I had expected. Something about the way he was looking at me made me unable to turn away. His eyes were soft and I wanted nothing more than for him to kiss me and never stop.

I licked my lips and said, "I'm against abortion."

He rested his forehead against mine. "Then we're keeping it," he smiled the two hundred watt smile.

I closed my eyes and felt his lips brush against mine. No tongue, just lips. A soft gentle kiss, which left me confused as to what it meant.

Then realisation hit me. I don't know the first thing about babies. I only know how to make them and how they come out. I don't know anything about looking after them and the thought of diaper changing and two AM feedings weren't all that appealing.

Luckily, even in his stunned state, Ranger's ESP was still working. "Don't worry, you'll make a great mom."

I smiled. Something about the way he said it made me believe him. Ranger always knew what to say.

I wrapped my arms around him. "You think?"

"I know," he pressed a kiss to my neck, making me warm in places that weren't usually warm. He looked at his watch. "Let's take the rest of the morning off," he said his voice deep. "Tank can take care of things for a few hours."

I didn't have time to answer as he had pulled me down on top of him and was kissing me like there was no tomorrow. His hand slipped under my shirt and he rubbed soothing circles on my soon to be fat stomach. "Anything you need in these next few months don't hesitate to ask for. I want to be there for you," he whispered into my hair.

What I wanted to ask for was his love, but I was able to stop myself from saying it in time. All coherent thoughts left my head as he moved his hand higher and I found myself wishing the moment would last forever.

"Stay with me," I whispered back and kissed him.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. Slight spoilers for TS. Same disclaimer as before. Enjoy, and please review._

"Babe," I felt someone gently shake my shoulder. "Babe, wake up."

I slowly opened my eyes and looked up to see Ranger's smiling face. It took me a moment to remember what he was doing in my apartment and in my bed. Then it all came flooding back to me and my hands subconsciously went to my stomach.

I felt him shift under me and watched as he ran his hands down his chest trying to flatten his shirt from where I had been sleeping on him.

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

He looked at his watch. "Noon."

"Are you going back to work?"

"Yeah, you coming?"

I thought about it for a moment and then nodded. I quickly brushed my teeth and walked to the parking lot with Ranger. He'd brought the Porsche. I love the Porsche. It always smells of leather, Bulgari and Ranger. I got into the passenger's side and he drove off.

We drove the first few minutes as usual. In silence. He was in his zone and I was thinking about the tiny life that was growing inside me. Joe was going to kill Ranger when he found out, and what would Lula and Connie say?

"How long do you want to keep it a secret for?"

I had to stop my jaw from dropping an inch or two. Ranger never spoke whilst driving.

"Forever?" I asked hopefully. I could say the morning sickness was the flu or food poisoning, when I started to show I could say I had put on weight or wear a large sweater and I could blame the hormones on that time of the month…for nine months.

He took my hand in his and rested it on his thigh, which just added more confusion to my situation. I knew I should tell people as soon as possible to avoid questions later on, but it was an uncomfortable subject. "I guess we should tell BLT," I said. He smiled at my nickname for Bobby, Lester and Tank.

Lester was the main gossip for RangeMan, I knew if I told him everyone in the building would know in a matter of minutes. I'd tell my family next and Mary Lou and the girls in the office after that.

I looked over at Ranger. His dark eyes were fixed on the road and I felt a wave of unease flow through me. How was this going to affect us? Would he marry me, give the baby his last name and then divorce me like he did with Julie and Rachel? I don't think I could take that. Julie said she hardly knows him, I want him to be in our child's life. I want my baby to know its father.

He pulled into one of his parking slots and we got out the car. "I can't do this," I said as we stepped into the elevator.

He put a hand at the small of my back. "Babe, just relax. I'll be right next to you."

I nodded and took a deep breath. Bobby, Lester and Tank were in the control room, all watching the monitors.

"Morning Ranger, Bomber."

"Morning Les," I said, hovering in the doorway.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "You OK?"

"Actually," said Ranger, giving me a little shove forward. "Steph has something she wants to tell you."

"_We_ have something we want to tell you," I shot him a look but he ignored me.

The three Marry Men watched us for a few seconds before anyone spoke. "So what is it?" asked Bobby.

I felt Ranger nudge me in the back. "I'm pregnant," I blurted out. "Ranger's the father."

Subtle Steph, real subtle.

For what seemed like hours no one said anything. The three of them just stared at us, mouths hanging open in silence until Lester turned to Tank and said, "Pay up."

Tank frowned and pulled twenty dollars from his pocket.

"Wait a minute," I said, my eyes drilling a hole into them. They were betting on me? On when I was going to get knocked up by Batman?! Why couldn't they bet on normal things, like when I was going to blow up another car? After my last announcement the rumour mill would be working overtime. "You've been placing bets on me?"

"…Maybe?" said Bobby.

Then Lester's mouth curved into a smile. "We're gonna have a baby."

An image of a little mocha latte coloured boy with a paintball gun in his hand chasing the Merry Men around the office suddenly flashed through my mind. I quickly dismissed the thought but made a mental note to talk to Ranger about it later and to never let BLT baby-sit.

Tank got up off his chair and pulled me into a hug. Then he punched Ranger in the arm. "Congrats guys."

"Yeah," agreed Bobby. "And it's about time."

I'm glad they were happy for us, but it made me wonder. Where did I stand with Ranger? And what did he mean when he said he wanted to be there for me? Seriously, how do I get myself into these things? Being stalked by a mad man is simpler than my love life.

After the Merry Men had finished congratulating us I told them that the baby was a secret and made them all promise not to tell anyone. Not that I thought they'd listen, but it made me feel slightly more secure with the whole situation.

Ranger draped an arm over my shoulder and kissed me just below the ear. "What are you doing today?"

His hands found my waist and pulled me close to him. "I thought I might go to the office. See if they have any new skips in."

He shook his head and put a hand on my cheek, lifting my face up to look at him. "I don't want you working for Vinnie anymore," he said.

I mentally rolled my eyes. Great, another Joe, always wanting me to quit my job and become a housewife. It was the main reason we broke up. I was tired of him trying to change me and turn me into someone I'm not so I told him to piss off and go back to Terry.

"It's not that I don't trust you not to get into trouble, because we both know that won't happen, but I don't want you to be in any danger. You get shot at on a regular basis, Babe, I don't want you or the baby getting hurt," his eyes showed worry, something I'm not used to seeing on Ranger. I understood where he was coming from. I couldn't go chasing FTAs only to stop to throw up and then get shot while my defences are down.

I nodded. "If I don't go to that office Lula and Connie will hunt me down and won't leave me alone. I promise I'll tell Vinnie I'm going on maternity leave."

"You better," he handed me the keys to the Porsche and headed to the elevator. "I'll pick you up at seven. We're going to dinner, we have some things we need to discuss."

The elevator doors closed and I went to the garage. I opened the car door and drove towards the office. As soon as Lula saw me pull up she let off a high pitched scream that was soon joined by Connie's. I sighed and went inside. They were still screaming and then I was screaming for them to stop and then Vinnie poked his head out from his office and was screaming at us all to be quiet.

Once Vinnie had returned to his inner sanctum I heard Lula close the door behind me. I turned around and saw her leaning against it. "What's all this we hear about you being knocked up by Ranger?"

I blushed and sat down on the couch, taking a doughnut from a box on the front desk. "Its true," this caused them to start screaming again. Just when I thought my eardrums were going to burst they stopped.

Connie took the doughnut out of my hand. "And when did this happen?"

I shrugged. "A few weeks ago."

"And you didn't tell us that you'd slept with him?"

I shook my head and shot her a sarcastic look. I think that would be a conversation they would have remembered.

"Girl, you got a lot of explaining to do," Lula put her hands on her hips. "…So how big is he?"

Ignoring her last question I asked, "How do you know I'm pregnant?"

"Tank told me."

Sighing again I leant back and answered all of their questions without giving too much away. There were some things I wanted to keep to myself. I glanced at my watch and was shocked to see two hours had passed. I guess time fly's when your being interrogated by your friends.

I told Connie that I wouldn't be working for a while and promised I'd stop by at least once a week.

I drove back to my apartment and said hello to Rex. The light on my answering machine was blinking like crazy. I had over fifteen messages from various friends and relatives. I listened to them all, leaving my mothers close to last.

"Stephanie Plum! This is your mother. Are you there? Hello? Pick up," I could swear I could hear her mumble 'why me?' before she carried on. "The phone has been ringing on the hook. I had to unplug it. I'm using a payphone by the corner shop! What's all this about you being pregnant? I insist you bring this man to dinner on Friday!"

Not going to happen, mom, I thought. Nothing good ever came out of bringing my friends or potential boyfriends round to dinner at my parent's house. And no way was I letting Grandma Mazur near Ranger.

The last message was from Morelli. And he didn't sound happy. "Meet me at Pino's tomorrow at one for lunch," his tone suggested it wasn't a request.

Great.

_TBC?_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Wow, thanks so much for all the response I got from the last chapter. Hope everyone likes this one as much as the last. Slight spoilers for TS. BTW, I know nothing about the streets of Trenton._

I collapsed onto the couch and ran a hand through my hair. I had just phoned about everyone in Trenton and my jaw was aching as a result. My watch read five o'clock. Only two hours until dinner with Ranger.

I wondered if by 'dinner' he meant a date, dinner between two friends and colleagues or dinner with the mother of his child. They were three entirely different scenarios. He flirted with me and kissed me on a regular basis, but I didn't know if it was just physical attraction or if he actually had romantic feelings for me. I hated the fact the he could read me like an open book and that he refused to let me in and get to know him personally. I'm having his baby and I don't even know where he lives!

I stepped into the bathroom, stripped off my clothes and got into the shower. I put my hair curlers in and left it to dry naturally. Wrapping a towel around my body, I opened my closet door and looked at the contents for a moment, wondering what I should wear. I didn't want to over dress, but I didn't want to go to some fancy restaurant in jeans and a T-shirt. I sighed when I realised that I was going to have to buy a maternity closet.

After looking through every outfit I owned three times, I decided to dial Ranger's number.

"Yo."

"Yo yourself. I was just wondering where we're going tonight?"

"My sister's husband owns a place just outside of town."

"OK, what should I wear?"

"Something fancy but casual," he said before he hung up.

Great, I thought. That was helpful.

I tired on three more outfits before I settled with a black skirt and matching top. I sorted my hair out and did the usual make-up routine, mascara, eyeliner, lip-gloss, the works. The end result wasn't half-bad.

Ranger arrived at seven on the dot, dressed in black jeans, a leather jacket and a T-shirt that looked like it had been painted onto his skin. His hair was brushing loose against his shoulders, curling at the ends. He looked almost normal. Almost.

"Like what you see, Babe?" he asked when he noticed me staring at him.

I forced my eyes away. He flashed the two hundred-watt smile and I felt my knees go weak. I wasn't sure whether he noticed or whether he was just being polite, but he held his arm out to me. I took it and let him lead me to the car. He opened the passenger door and then slipped behind the wheel.

We drove in silence. I looked out the window, trying to figure out where he was taking us. We were in an area I didn't know very well. When he finally stopped it was at a place I didn't recognise.

"It just recently opened," Ranger ESPed.

I nodded and we went inside. Tables and chairs were scattered around the room. The seats were covered in black leather and there was soft music playing in the background.

A woman with tanned skin, dark eyes and black hair came up to us. Obviously she was Ranger's sister; the family resemblance was uncanny. She said something to him in Spanish before leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. She led us to a table at the back of the restaurant and smiled at me, not a two hundred-watt smile like her brothers, but close.

"You must be the woman who has finally tamed Carlos, right?" she asked as she handed us menus. "I'm Shona, by the way."

I smiled slightly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Stephanie," I said, before glancing at Ranger. "And Rang – Carlos and I are just friends."

"Of course. What would you like to drink?"

"Just water," said Ranger.

Shona nodded. She winked at me and started to hum Rock-a-bye baby as she walked away. I saw Ranger roll his eyes. "Sorry about that," he said.

I shrugged. "It's fine," I looked around and saw several women watching us. Or more specifically, watching him. It made me feel good knowing that I was the one with him. He could easily have any woman he wanted in Trenton.

"So…" I said, trying to start a conversation. "Is Shona older or younger than you?"

"Two years younger."

I nodded, opened the menu and looked at the dishes. The majority of it was in Spanish, but had hand written translations in English underneath, which I was grateful for. I didn't trust Batman not to order me something stupidly healthy. Everything sounded delicious and exotic.

Shona came back carrying two glasses of water with ice and lemon slices on a tray. She whipped out a notepad and asked what we wanted to eat. Ranger ordered a salad and I ordered a steak.

"Is the body a temple tonight?" I grinned at him once his sister was out of sight.

"Sure is."

I sighed and sipped my water. Ranger, man of mystery and master of two word sentences. How he even considers salad to be a meal, I don't know. The man is hot, but has a lot to learn about food.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked, once our meals had been delivered. The steak looked and smelt great, which is more than I could say for the salad.

His eyes caught mine for a brief second before travelling to my chest and then to my stomach. "What do you think?"

I tried not to blush as he ran his eyes back up my body. Lula and Connie would die if he ever did that to them.

"There's still time," he said, his tone gentle. "Are you _sure_ you're keeping it?"

I nodded again and whispered, "Yes."

Something about him changed as I said it. He seemed to relax slightly. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer. His knee brushed against mine and I felt a wave of heat rush south.

"Your not…" I started. "This isn't going to be a repeat of what happened with Rachel is it?"

He pressed a reassuring kiss to my forehead. "The circumstances with Rachel were completely different. I was young, I was immature, I was irresponsible and I wasn't ready to settle down. Rachel and I had a one-night stand. Julie was the result. I couldn't leave Rachel all by herself, so I gave her and the baby the only thing I could at the time. Money."

That was about the most I had ever heard him say at once. His eyes were soft and as gentle as his tone of voice.

"Are you ready to settle down now?" I asked before I could stop myself.

He looked away, clearly considering his words. "I don't think I'll ever be ready to settle down for good," he entwined our fingers and ran a thumb over my knuckle. "That's why I sent you back to Morelli the first time. Because he is willing to settle down and start a family. It wasn't because I don't care about you, it was because he can give you what I can't."

"And look how well that turned out," I said, unable to keep the hurt out of my voice. I mentally groaned at the thought of having to face Joe at Pino's tomorrow.

"I did what I thought was best for you. Please, Steph, I'm sorry. I tried."

I was quickly losing the ability to speak. Ranger never opened up like this. And he knew that 'sorry' and 'please' were the two words that got to me, and using them both in the same sentence…

"I _do_ care about you," he continued. "But my life…it's just too dangerous. If duty calls I have to drop everything I'm working on and go and help. I feel responsible for the situation your in and I want to help in whatever way I can."

I played with the curls in his hair, just to give me something to do. I guess I should be thankful that he told me he didn't want a relationship there and then, instead of me hoping that he might and then getting my heart broken a second time by him.

"What about the baby? Will you be there for it?"

He was silent for a moment, his face emotionless. "I will be if you let me. I regret not taking the time to get to know Julie. After Rachel and I got divorced I spent months wishing that things could have gone differently, that if I got another chance with Julie, I'd change what happened. I'll be a father to this baby if you want me to be."

Tears filled my eyes. That was possibly the sweetest thing Ranger had ever said to me. He pulled me close to him and I buried my head in his neck.

"Hormones," I whispered.

He stroked my hair and kissed me just below the ear. Whenever he had hold of me like he did then, no matter what is going on in my life, I feel safe. It's like his touch takes all my troubles away and the only people in the world are he and I.

"You know, your steak is getting cold," said Ranger, but making no attempt to let go of me.

I smiled and pulled back from him. We enjoyed the rest of the evening and the food was great. I ordered a slice of chocolate fudge cake with ice cream for dessert. Ranger just had a black coffee. No cream or sugar. I knew in a few weeks I'd have to stop eating things like cake and doughnuts, so I had to enjoy it while I could. When I said that to him, he just rolled his eyes and grinned.

He paid the bill, said goodbye to Shona and then drove me back to my apartment.

I opened the car door and saw him do the same. We took the elevator to the second floor and he did a quick routine check of my rooms. I had been stalker free for about six months, a new personal record since I started working as a BEA, but it never hurt to be careful.

"All clear," he said, holding the door open for me.

I walked into the middle of the room and turned to face him. I thought about whether I should ask him to stay, but then decided against it.

"Thanks, Ranger. I had a lot of fun tonight."

"Any time, Babe," he smiled the two hundred-watt smile, and kissed me lightly on the lips. "You look beautiful, by the way," he said as he walked back to the car. I waved to him from the window as he drove off.

My answering machine told me I had messages, but they could wait until morning. I couldn't wait until I told the girls at the office about my night with the man in black.

I showered, took the make-up off and brushed my teeth before crawling into bed.

I soon fell asleep and dreamt of the earlier events. Dream me was dancing at the restaurant with dream Ranger. Dream me was holding onto him tightly, not wanting to let go. Then I heard an annoying buzzing noise, opened my eyes and saw that the day had once again started without me.

_A/N: Any comments, suggestions or ideas? And do you want a mean Morelli or a supportive Morelli? Thanks for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews and PMs! All characters belong to Janet Evanovich and all mistakes are mine._

I parked my car in front of the bonds office and looked inside to a familiar sight. Lula was sitting on the couch filing her nails and eating from a bucket of fried chicken. Connie was painting her already filed nails blood red and drinking coffee. The usual Friday morning routine. If I was still working for Vinnie I'd be chewing on a doughnut and choosing which FTA's I was going to go after.

I got out the car, taking my pocketbook with me. Lula and Connie's faces lit up when they saw me walk through the door.

"Hey girlfriend," said Lula. Her hair was sandy blonde and she was dressed in her usual Spandex outfit. Before becoming a filing clerk Lula was a 'ho. She's a plus-sized black woman who attempts to shove a size 16 body into size 10 spandex.

"Hey girls," I smiled and sat down on the couch.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"What? I can't just drop by and say hi to my friends?" I took a chicken wing from her Cluck-in-a-Bucket box. I took a few bites and threw the rest away, suddenly feeling queasy.

We sat and talked about my previous night with Ranger and my lunch with Morelli. After all, there's no such thing as privacy or a secret in the 'Burg.

We heard the lock on Vinnie's office door click and he poked his head out. His dark was greased back and he didn't look happy. Not that he ever did.

"Am I paying you people to lounge around, doing your nails and gossiping all day?"

Connie snorted. "If you did, Vinnie, we'd be rich."

His eyes squinted and he glared at her. "Exactly," he looked like he trying not to hit something.

"You," he pointed a finger to me. "In my office."

I sighed and rolled my eyes before following my rat of a cousin into his lair. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing when I heard Connie and Lula gulp. Usually Vinnie just yells at us through the wall, he means business when he actually calls us _into_ his office.

He pointed to the seat in front of his desk, but I shook my head and stayed standing, images of him and Joyce Barnhardt flashing through my mind. I gave an involuntary shudder, which he ignored.

Vinnie sat down in his chair and looked at me. "I guess I have to say congratulations."

"Thanks," I said, eyeing him.

"I just want you to know that your relationship with Ranger had better not change anything. I can't have him letting the FTAs of Trenton run loose because he has daddy duties."

I had to smile at that. Somehow, I could never see him doing 'daddy duties'.

That was another thing I had to worry about. Who would look after the baby once it was born? The reason I broke up with Joe was because I refused to stay at home and raise kids. Ranger obviously wouldn't have time and I didn't want to let my first born (or any of my borns for that matter) near my dysfunctional family.

"Don't worry, we're not in a relationship."

He let out a sigh of relief. That asshole! Aren't families supposed to want other family members to be happy? I guess that rule doesn't apply to pervert cousins. Seriously, how does his wife put up with him? He drives me crazy and I only see him a few times a week. Then again, she MUST have something wrong with her to actually marry him in the first place.

I gave Vinnie a finger wave and walked out of his office. Lula smiled and shot me a questioning look. I shook it off and looked at my watch. It was almost one o'clock.

"You busy this afternoon?" asked Lula.

I mentally went through my schedule and shook my head.

"Want to ride shotgun while I go after FTAs?"

I hesitated for a moment. "I don't know. I told Ranger I wouldn't."

"Girl, its just a few first time offenders. They got arrested for shoplifting a couple of bags of chips, nothing serious. Besides, I'll have you back."

I didn't think Ranger would be very happy with me after I promised him I'd stop going after skips, and I didn't think that 'Lula had my back' would go down to well with him. But I agreed to help her anyway. After all, first time offenders were easy and often came willingly without any problems…well OK, _sometimes_ they came in without any problems.

"OK, I'll see you once I get back from lunch," I waved goodbye to them and got into my car.

I pulled up in front of Pino's, the smell of meatball subs and pizza filling the air. I could see Morelli's SUV parked by the curb and the nauseous feeling in my stomach got slightly worse. This would be the first time I'd seen him since we broke up.

Might as well get this over with, I thought as I got out. I saw Joe sitting at the back, his arms folded over his chest. He caught my eyes and pointed to the chair in front of him. I sat down and took his appearance in. His hair – as usual – needed to be cut, he wore faded, tight jeans and a T-shirt. His eyes were cold and hard. Tension was radiating off him and he looked like he hadn't slept in a while.

"Hey," I said.

He just looked at me, his dark eyes travelled down to my stomach the same way Ranger's had the previous night and then travelled back to meet my gaze.

"You slept with Ranger," he finally said.

Not knowing what to say, I just nodded. I mean, I couldn't very well deny it could I?

He ran a hand through his hair and gave me a questioning look. "Why?"

I gave a small shrug. My mouth was dry and I was unable to look at him. I didn't want to hurt him, as much as I was still angry about the fight we had, I still cared about him.

"Tell me, Stephanie. I need to know. Why Manoso, why him?" he demanded, raising his voice.

He slammed a fist against the table making everything on it shake. I jumped slightly in surprise. His voice was filled with hurt but he was wearing his unreadable cop face, his emotions safely hidden behind it.

"Because he cares about me," I said, standing up. I knew we were causing a scene, all the cops who had stopped for lunch were watching us, but that was the least of my problems.

"He only wants you for your body, Steph. He doesn't care about you, not the way I do."

I shook my head and walked up to him, stabbing a finger into his chest. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, the crap that was coming out of his mouth. He didn't know Ranger; he didn't know him the way I did. I knew he cared about me.

"Listen Morelli, your wrong. You've never been more wrong in your life. He accepts me for the way I am. He doesn't try to change me every time one of my cars goes up in flames. He doesn't try to convince me to get another job, he encourages and helps me," I hissed at him, my eyes never leaving his. "If you cared about me you'd let me make my own decisions and not try to pressure me into doing something I don't want to do. That's why I could never have a serious relationship with you, Joe, because you don't trust me. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself!"

He looked guilty; obviously realising what I had said was true. He looked like he had been slapped. He pushed my finger away, picked his jacket up and stormed out of the restaurant, never looking back. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down before looking up. Every one quickly snapped their eyes away and became very interested in their food. I walked over to the counter and ordered three meatball subs to go. I waited until I saw Morelli drive away before going to my own car and heading to the office.

Lula and Connie must have sensed that I wasn't in a good mood, as they didn't ask how lunch went. Either that or they had already heard it from Carl, who I saw on my way out of Pino's. I wordlessly handed them both a sandwich before unwrapping my own and taking a bite.

The three of us made small talk for about ten minutes. I spent the time thinking mostly about Morelli and what he had said. Ranger cared for more than my body…didn't he?

"Have you thought of any names?" asked Connie.

My train of thought was interrupted. "Hmm?"

"For the baby? Any names."

I smiled. "It's months time it's due," I said, making a mental note to find out when it actually was due. "I think it's a bit early to be thinking about names."

"What does Batman make of the whole situation?" said Lula through a mouthful of meatballs.

"He seems to be OK with it," I smiled again and rested a hand on my stomach. I really hadn't thought Ranger would want anything to do with it at first. Just because we weren't together didn't mean that we would be bringing an unloved child into the world. I'd make sure my child would be the most loved around and prove to my mother that I'm not a complete failure.

We cleared up the food wrappers and Connie told us to be careful as we got into Lula's red Firebird and went after the FTAs.

First on the list was a Gary Collins, arrested for trying to rob a convenience store. He looked about eighteen with bright carrot-red hair and blue eyes. He lived just outside of the 'Burg and probably lived with his mother. We parked outside his house and Lula turned to look at me. "OK, since you got to be careful in your condition," translation: since I don't want Ranger to kill me if this goes wrong, "You take the back door and I'll take the front."

I rolled my eyes and gave the no guns talk. Usually I would say that I should take the front door, but the meatball sub felt like it was threatening to make a sudden reappearance. I went round back and heard her knock on the door. There was a brief silence followed by some yelling and some door slamming. The back door burst open and Collins ran out and stared at me for a brief second. Realisation hit him and he took off down an alleyway. I ran after him and cursed when I realised I had left everything in the car. I didn't even have a stun gun with me!

Luckily, he was a slow runner and I soon caught up with him. I tackled him to the floor. He grabbed a chunk of my hair and pulled hard. I let out a scream and tried to get him to let go. He didn't and soon we were rolling around on the ground, trying to get the other one off. I had just pinned him to the ground when I felt my stomach turn. I tried to prevent it, but I threw up all over him. Some of it splattered onto my shirt, but the majority was on him. He looked at me in shock and then down at himself in disgust.

I looked up and saw Lula coming down the alley with her Glock in her hand. Her nose crinkled. "Girl, what is that smell? Did you roll in garbage again?"

I rolled off of Collins, clutching my stomach and gagged. "I got him," I mumbled.

Lula smiled and nodded. "You got him good," she agreed.

Pulling a face, she grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked Collins to his feet. She snapped a pair of cuffs on his wrists. He looked at me and said, "What the Hell did you eat for lunch, bitch?"

Lula smacked him upside the head. "Don't you call her that!" then she looked at his shirt. "Ain't no way he's getting a ride to the station in my car."

I nodded and rolled my eyes.

"Are you OK?"

Again I nodded. "I'll call Ranger, ask him to pick Collins up."

I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and dialled Ranger. He answered on the second ring and I could almost picture the smile on his face when he saw my name on the caller ID.

"Yo," he was a man of few words.

"Yo yourself. Can I ask you a favour?"

"What is it?"

"Well, Lula and I were chasing a skip and –"

His tone of voice changed ever so slightly. It was almost barely noticeable. "I thought I told you to stop working for your cousin."

"It was a first time offender, a shoplifter. He's only a kid, he's not dangerous. We have him in custody, but we need someone to bring him in."

"Did you blow up Lula's car?"

I scoffed. "No, but I did puke on the FTA, and now she refuses to put him in her car," I said, giving him the address.

I heard him give a low chuckle. "Babe," he said before he hung up. I swear one of these days I was going to get the last word in.

I told Lula he was on his way and we dragged Collins to wait by the curb. Two black RangeMan cars appeared a few minutes later and Ranger and Lester got out.

"Hi Bombshell," Les smiled when he saw the skip. "You should take it easy, Beautiful. It'll only get worse."

With that he shoved Collins into the back seat of his car and was gone. I really liked Lester. He was different from the other Merry Men. He often spoke more than two words at a time and definitely had a unique personality.

I said goodbye to Lula and waved as her Firebird disappeared around the corner. All the hairs on my neck stood up and I knew that Ranger was behind me. I felt his arms wrap around my waist and he pulled me close to him. "How are you feeling?" he asked, slowly stroking my stomach.

I turned around and put my head on his shoulder. "Better," I said.

He kissed my hair. "Come on, I'll take you home."

He helped me into the car and drove in the direction of my apartment. It had started to rain, light drizzle falling onto the road in front of us. I wasn't feeling so hot again and I made a mental note to talk to Bobby. He knew a lot about medicine; maybe he'd know if there was anything to ease the morning sickness…or afternoon sickness as my case may be.

_A/N: I'd like to apologise in advance for any of the baby facts in later chapters that may be, and probably will be, incorrect. I'm only fourteen and have a tendency to daydream during Biology. __Thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thanks again for all the reveiws. Keep em' coming, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!_

Ranger pulled into the parking lot outside my apartment. I was about to get out of the car when he locked the doors. I looked up at him with questioning eyes. He just held my gaze. "I'll pick you up at quarter to six."

He must have noticed my confused expression. He tucked a stray curl behind my ear and leaned closer to me. "Dinner at your parent's, Babe."

Oh shit! I completely forgot. I heard the locks click open and swallowed hard. Every 'Burg girl's worse nightmare is having to tell your mother that your single and pregnant. Of course, she already knew, but I still didn't want to have to face her. And for once, the fact that Ranger would be there did little to ease my sense of dread. I think Grandma Mazur makes him…uncomfortable.

Before I had a chance to respond he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and kissed me long and hard, which couldn't have been very nice as I had just barfed up my lunch. "I'll see you later," he said once we had pulled back.

I glanced up at my apartment. "Aren't you gonna check it for mad men?"

His eyes travelled to the space in the parking lot by the Dumpster. It was Morelli's car. "There's a mad man in there alright, just not the kind you were thinking of, Babe."

I mentally rolled my eyes and got out of the car, eyeing Morelli's SUV as I went. What did he want now? His words echoed through my mind and I turned around to ask Ranger a question, but he was gone. Huh, I didn't even hear him drive off.

I decided to take the stairs in an attempt to prolong another argument with Joe. I really needed to get my apartment key back from him.

I blew out a sigh and unlocked the front door. I could hear Rex running in his wheel, a soft squeaking in the distance. I walked into the kitchen and found Morelli leaning against the counter, arms folded across his chest.

"Before you say anything," he said as I opened my mouth to speak. "Hear me out."

I shook my head. "Leave, now."

He sighed. "Cupcake, please –"

"No, Joe. It's too late."

Running a hand through his hair he looked at me with sad brown eyes. "Please, Steph. You have to understand it's not easy for me. It's hard, seeing the woman I love pregnant with another man's child. How do you think I feel?"

He took a step closer to me before carrying on. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted at Pino's earlier. I was rude, I was disrespectful and I wasn't thinking straight."

The thing was, he looked and sounded sincere. I was tempted to believe him. "Why are you apologising?"

He tilted my chin up to look at him. "Because Carl Costanza gave me shit at the station for the way I reacted to the whole situation. My Italian temper I guess. Please forgive me."

I walked past him and opened the fridge, looking for something to eat just to give me something to do. It took a while for Morelli's words to sink in, but when they did I realised just how hard the whole thing must be for him. I mean, we broke up because he wanted me to be someone I wasn't, not because we didn't care about each other. Would I go back to him now? Probably not, but I did want him in my life.

I sighed again. "Alright, I forgive you."

He smiled and let out a breath he had been holding. I was still feeling slightly pissed off with him, but not as much as I had been a few hours ago. I no longer wanted to throttle him.

"Thanks," he said after a few seconds of silence. "And I want you to know that I'm here, you know, if you need me or anything."

I nodded and tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling. Joe and I didn't do feelings. "Thanks."

He shifted weight from one foot to another and grinned. "So what's all this about throwing up on a skip? Arrest by puke is definitely a new way to bring in an FTA, even for you."

I shot him a look. "Out. Now."

He laughed and headed for the door. Same old Joe. I waited before I saw his car pulled out of the parking lot before I collapsed onto the couch. I put a hand on my stomach and took a few moments to think. It felt weird knowing that there was another life growing inside of me. I wondered if Ranger had told Julie she was going to have another half-sibling soon?

I got up and dropped a grape into Rex's cage. Six o'clock was fast approaching; all this stress couldn't be good for the baby…then again, neither could tackling skips to the ground and wrestling with them.

I stripped out of my clothes and took a long, hot shower until I began to look like a prune. I dressed in a skirt and a T-shirt. I tied my hair back and put on a little make-up. Once again, Ranger arrived on the dot to take me to my doom.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm fine. I just hope Valerie, Albert and the kids aren't there."

We drove in a comfortable silence. Ranger was in his zone and I wondered what, if anything, was going through his mind. Then I decided it was probably best if I didn't know.

Mom and Grandma Mazur were waiting for us at the front door. I wonder if they had passed the ability to sense your young coming onto me. We stepped out of the car and my mother crossed herself when she caught sight of the man in black. Grandma just smiled and looked him up and down.

"So what's for dinner?" I asked, stepping into the house.

"Pot roast."

I walked into the living room to find Angie, the brain box and Mary Alice, the horse kid, sitting in front of the TV with my dad. Great, I thought, the circus is in town. I quickly introduced Ranger and was called into the kitchen for another interrogation.

"So, Stephanie, he's the father of your child?" asked Mom, pointing to Ranger who was talking to Albert.

I nodded and rolled my eyes as she made the sign of the cross. "Why can't you get married to someone normal? What ever happened to Joseph? He was nice. And what kind of a name is Ranger anyway?"

I sighed; I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Joe and I broke up months ago, Ranger is a street name and who said anything about getting married?"

She looked at me as if I were mad. "Well of course you're getting married. You're pregnant," she raised her voice slightly. "Look at your sister, what did she do when she got pregnant? She got married."

I put a finger to my eye to stop the twitch. I was so sick of being compared to Saint Valarie, who never did anything wrong. "Mom, it's my life, let me lead it the way I want to."

I grabbed a bowl of mashed potatoes and set it on the dining room table.

Ranger must have noticed my pissed off expression. "Everything OK, Babe?"

"Everything's fine," I mumbled, taking a seat next to him.

The dinner conversation soon turned to the topic of Baby Manoso, but I was able to dodge most of their questions and keep Grandma Mazur from mentioning anyone's package. Then Mary Alice asked THE question.

"Where do babies come from, anyway?"

Valerie froze with a forkful of food half way to her mouth and looked over at my mother who was choking on pot roast. The tops of Ranger's mouth were tugged into a slight smile, obviously thinking that this was going to be interesting. My dad just carried on eating, but Grandma seemed more than happy to fill Mary Alice in on the Birds and the Bees.

"Well Mary Alice," she started. "When a man loves a woman–"

"This is not appropriate dinner conversation!" said Valerie, looking at her daughter.

"The girl needs to know the facts of life, otherwise she'll get confused."

My mom excused herself from the table, presumably to get herself another drink. By the time dessert was served, I was just about ready to throttle my grandmother for all the remarks she was making about my latest capture. Apparently her friend Ida Martinez lived next door to Gary Collins and saw the whole thing.

My mom handed me a bag of leftovers as we left and I could smell the alcohol on her breath. If I ever became like her I'd ask one of the Merry Men to shoot me.

"You family never ceases to amaze me, Babe," said Ranger once we were in the car.

"Me too," I mumbled, my stomach starting to feel nauseous again.

"You OK?"

I shrugged. "Let's just say I shouldn't have had that second slice of cake."

I leant again the door and closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them again we were in my parking lot. I rubbed at my eyes before I heard Ranger's voice.

"I need to talk to you."

I could feel him watching me. "What about?"

He shifted in his seat and twirled a stray curl through his finger. "I have to go away for a while."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How long?"

"I don't know."

His eyes were hard and serious, holding me in place. "What do you mean you don't know?"

He pressed a kiss to my temple. "It's a government mission. These things take time."

"Can you at least tell me where you're going?"

He shook his head and kissed me lightly on the lips. Sparks flew through my body. I buried my head in his neck and breathed in the Bulgari he was wearing. Why did he have to do this now of all times? How could he just leave when I needed him the most? "You will be coming back? Won't you?" I whispered, revealing one of my biggest fears.

He ran a gentle hand through my hair and wrapped an arm around me. "Of course I will. I promise I'll be back before you have the baby."

I nodded. Ranger never made a promise he couldn't keep. "When do you leave?"

He laid a trail of open-mouthed kisses from just below my ear down to my neck; blowing on the wet trail and making me shiver. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I squeaked.

He pulled out of the hug and put a hand on my cheek. "I'm sorry, I got a call late last night. I tried to find someone else to take the job, but no one was available."

I rested my forehead against his, not wanting him to leave. His lips brushed against mine as he spoke. "Tank will be in charge while I'm away. If you need anything, go to him. You still have the key to my apartment, right?"

I nodded again. "I'll tell Ella to get anything you need should you decide to drop by," he said, teasing my lips with his tongue.

"Thanks," I whispered.

The next thing I knew, he had his tongue in my mouth. I fisted my hands through his hair to prevent him from pulling away. He let out a groan from deep in his chest and he pulled me closer to him, pressing my body against his. I could feel his desire for me grow as the kiss deepened further. When we finally did pull back from lack of oxygen his eyes were dilated black.

We held each other's gaze for a moment before his watch started to beep. He mumbled a curse to himself. "I have to go. I have a meeting."

I tried to fight back tears. I don't know why I was so emotional. I mean, he's been away for months on end before, it was nothing new.

"Stay safe," I almost begged, but was able to keep my voice normal.

"I'll try."

He kissed me one last time before I got out of the car and watched him drive away. Off to save the world once again and once again leaving me alone.

_A/N: Thanks to rangersredhead for the arrest-by-puke line. Any comments or suggestions? And don't worry, Steph's life is about to become much more complicated... Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6 - Enjoy, and please review._

The next few days passed slowly. As February progressed into March, the only thing that had been even slightly difficult was stopping Lula from talking non-stop about her relationship with Tank. I was happy for them, but I really didn't need to know his favourite positions in bed.

March turned into April, April into May and I found myself with less than four months until the baby was born. Ranger still hadn't returned from where ever he was, but established brief contact once every two weeks.

Over time and with the help of some cures courtesy of Bobby, the morning sickness had just about stopped, although the thought of what Ranger could be doing still made me slightly queasy. He had really meant it when he said he wanted to help in what ever way he could and got me the best obstetrician in the area.

I was back to working a part time desk job at RangeMan, performing searches for various employees. I had just finished cleaning out my inbox for the day and was getting ready to return to my apartment. I pressed the button for the elevator and waited for it to get to my level.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Lester's smiling face. "Don't do that!" I put a hand over my heart.

He shrugged. "Sorry. You going home?"

I nodded and stepped through the elevator doors. I could feel him silently following behind me. "I have something for you."

"Really?"

He handed me a small square package wrapped in brown paper. I decided to do my kid-on-Christmas-morning impression and began to shake it. Lester chuckled and shook his head. I ripped the paper off and rested a hand on my bulging stomach.

It was a box. It was white with no writing on it. I opened it and took out a small brown bear. It had big black eyes and was wearing a small RangeMan shirt. I had to laugh.

"It's for the baby," he said.

I smiled and pulled him into a hug. "I love it."

"Your welcome, Beautiful," he walked me to my car and held the door open for me. "Are you busy tomorrow?"

I mentally went through my to-do list. "Don't think so."

He smiled, his bright green eyes beaming. "Great. Some of the guys and I were planning on going to Shorty's for pizza tomorrow. You want to come? We could have a RangeMan baby shower."

Hmm, could be interesting. "OK, sounds good."

He gave a nod of affirmation. "Meet us outside Tank's office at twelve o'clock tomorrow. See you then."

He gave me a kiss on the cheek and waved as I pulled out of the garage. I wondered what a RangeMan baby shower consisted of. I wondered if RangeMan itself knew, as I was the first female employee they had ever had, let alone the first one to get pregnant.

I pulled into the parking lot, walked into my apartment, said hello to Rex and climbed into bed. I may not have done anything but sit in front of a computer screen all day, but I was exhausted.

I woke up early next morning, sweating and shaking. I had been dreaming – having a nightmare – about Ranger lying dead somewhere in an alleyway in some deserted street. I took a few deep breaths to try and calm myself down. Running a hand through my unruly hair I risked a glance at the clock. Six in the morning. I groaned and rolled over onto my side. I tried to get back to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes I saw Ranger's still and bloody body. Salty tears rolled down my cheeks and before I could stop myself I was sobbing into my pillow. Damn hormones! I put a hand on my stomach and wanted nothing more than for Ranger to wrap me in his strong arms and soothe me back to sleep.

By the time my sobs had turned into the occasional whimper my head was beginning to throb. I reluctantly crawled out of bed and went in search of some painkillers. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep so I went into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower.

I wrapped myself in a fluffy white towel and dried my hair. I tied it into a ponytail and walked to my closet. A few weeks ago I went shopping for a maternity wardrobe. I had asked Mary Lou and Valerie to help as they both have had kids. I tugged a shirt over my head and pulled on a pair of pants with an elasticised waist. I despise maternity clothes, they make me feel huge. I had a bagel for breakfast and drunk a cup of herbal tea before returning to the bathroom to do my make-up. I went with the natural look and added a few extra coats of mascara for general confidence.

By now it was nine o'clock. Only three hours until Shorty's with the Merry Men. I walked back into my bedroom and picked up a photo frame. It held two pictures of the baby from my last doctors' appointment. I had decided I didn't want to know the sex and I hadn't even thought about a name. That was something I wanted to discuss with Ranger. He had promised me that he would be back in time for the birth, but I was beginning to doubt him, something I don't do that often.

I looked around for the copies of the photo's I had made, slipped them into an envelope and put them into my bag. I made sure I had the key to Ranger's apartment and took the elevator the ground floor and went to my car. I had been avoiding his apartment up till now. The scent of Bulgari lingered there and it had a way of triggering tears, but I wanted him to have his own pictures of what I hoped was his second child.

I drove to RangeMan and gave the guys in the control room and little finger wave. I rode the elevator to the seventh floor and stopped in front of the door. I felt I should knock, so I did and then entered when no one answered. I chucked my keys into the dish and looked around. It looked exactly the same as the last time I was here. Except that there was a small velvet box sitting on the kitchen counter. There was a note next to it. It read _Babe_ in Ranger's handwriting. I picked the box up with trembling hands and looked at it for a moment. Finally summoning the courage to open it I lifted the lid. Inside was a beautiful sliver heart shaped locket with three diamonds that made the shape of another heart in the middle. I was speechless, but since there was no one around, I guess it didn't matter. I took the locket out of the box and looked at the diamonds. Why three? One for him the baby and me perhaps? I turned it over in my hands a few times, studying it from every angle.

I felt my eyes well up with tears. I put the locket around my neck and palmed it in my hand as I tried to blink the tears back. I got the photos of the baby out of my bag and placed them on the counter where the box had been. I intended to head for the door but I found myself in Ranger's bedroom. His king-sized bed looked so warm and inviting and I had woken up at an unhealthy hour in the morning.

I sighed and set my watch to wake me up at eleven fifty. I crawled into the bed fully clothed and soon fell asleep. This time there were no nightmares...

I groaned when my watch alarm woke me up. I rolled over and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I wanted to lay back into the pillow, but I knew that if I did I would never get up again.

I made the bed, checked my hair and left the room. I tucked the locket under my shirt and left the apartment. Bobby and Lester were waiting for me in front of Tank's office. They smiled and told me that everyone had left for Shorty's already and we'd meet them there. I nodded and silently followed them down to the garage. Lester opened the car door for me while Bobby climbed into the driver's seat. He slipped into his zone, something all Merry Men were capable of reaching, leaving me to make small talk with Lester, who was sitting in the back.

We pulled up outside of the restaurant and Lester opened the door for me again. Ever since they found out I was pregnant they've been treating me like I'm a delicate glass vase. Like I could break at any moment. In a way it's nice, they always make sure I'm comfortable, they give up their chairs for me and don't make any comments when I have doughnuts and pickles for dinner. I'm not sure whether they're doing it because they care or because they're scared of what Ranger will do to them if he finds out they haven't been taking care of me. Probably a bit of both.

We went inside and I saw Tank and a bunch of other RangeMan employees sitting at the back. I wondered how they always managed to get the same tables, then I remembered Ranger saying something about one of his men working here, or something like that.

I sat next to Ram and opposite Bobby. "Hey, Bomber," Ram smiled, giving my shoulder a friendly squeeze. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

Hal spoke up. "We've ordered pizza and sodas. Is that OK?"

I nodded and said it was fine. It was more than fine actually. The only thing I had had to eat was a bagel; I was famished.

"We have something for you," said Tank, pulling a package from underneath the table. "On behalf of everyone at RangeMan it gives me great pleasure to present this to you."

I smiled and ripped the paper off. I found myself looking at a large black shirt a pair of pants. "We know how much you hate maternity clothes, so we thought we'd get you something that you were at least used to wearing," said Cal.

"Yeah, it the first ever RangeMan maternity wear," Woody winked at me.

My smile grew as I heard the words. It was such a thoughtful gesture. "Thanks guys."

"And this one is for the baby," I was handed another smaller package. Inside was a very small uniform with the RangeMan logo on the front. I thought they were going a bit overboard with the company theme, but I could tell that they all wanted to be in my child's life. At least I would never be short of babysitters.

The food soon arrived and we all dug in. Shorty's is no Pino's, but the food was great. Pizza with extra cheese, six different types of toppings, soft chewy crust filled with more cheese and garlic bread on the side. Not the healthiest of meals, but delicious none the less

We spent the next hour just talking and getting to know each other better. I had only ever seen the professional sides of them, it was nice finding out new things about the people I worked with and saw on a daily basis.

Tank's phone rang and he excused himself to answer it. I took turns dancing (or attempting to dance, it wasn't easy with my stomach in the way) with each of the Merry Men. They were all really good and I silently thanked my mother for forcing me to take dance classes as a kid.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see Tank standing behind me. He was wearing his expressionless face, making it hard to figure out what he was thinking. Not that I usually could anyway. ESP wasn't something I had mastered yet. I suddenly got a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. "What is it?" I asked him.

He waited for a moment, trying to decide what to say. "It's Ranger. He's been hurt. He's in the hospital."

And suddenly the pizza was threatening to make a reappearance.

My heart was hammering so hard in my chest I couldn't breathe. Black dots began to cloud my vision and I felt someone push me into a chair. How could this happen? Batman never got hurt, it just didn't happen. It was always me getting hurt, not the other way around. What if he never recovered? What if he died and I never got a chance to tell him I love him?

"Bomber? Bombshell? Steph!" I felt Tank shake my shoulder hard. I looked up and found him on his knees so that we were at eye level. "Come on, Steph. Come back."

Had I been gone? Maybe I had zoned out for a while. "Is he OK?" I croaked out. "Where is he?"

"St Francis."

I took a deep breath. "What's he doing there?"

"He was on his way back to the building. Got caught in the middle of a gang shooting on Stark Street."

"He got shot?" I whispered.

Images of him lying on my apartment floor, blood gushing out of his body flashed through my mind from the Scrog incident. That was without a doubt the worst day of my life and I didn't ever want a repeat.

Tank nodded. "I don't know the extent of his injuries. He's in surgery."

"I have to see him," I said, getting up and heading for the door, not bothering to say goodbye to the Merry Men. I had to see Ranger there and then. I had to make sure he was alright.

Tank followed me out and unlocked the car doors. He slipped into the driver's seat and drove towards the hospital. I pulled the locket out from under my shirt and looked at it. I realised I had never opened it. Turning it on its side I clicked it open. Inside were two small pictures. One of me and one of Ranger. He had chosen two that made it look like we were looking at each other.

Tank parked the car and we rushed inside. After harassing the foreign receptionist for a couple of minutes we finally figured out that Ranger was out of surgery. Screw visiting hours, I thought as I headed down the corridor towards his room, Tank following behind me.

I saw a woman in a white coat leave his room. I slipped inside and froze when I saw him. He was hooked up to all kinds of machinery and had all kinds of drugs being pumped into him. He was so still. I listened to the beeping of the heart monitor for a few seconds, just glad that he was alive and breathing on his own. I felt Tank give my shoulder a squeeze before he turned around and left the room to give me some privacy. I felt the baby move and kick and put a hand on my stomach. "Don't worry," I whispered to it. "Daddy's going to be OK."

I took a step closer and could see the bandages wrapped round his chest under the hospital gown. I pulled up a chair and collapsed into it, not trusting my legs any further. I took his hand in mine and ran my other hand through his hair. It was shorter than when he had left and would look damn sexy with some gel. I brought his palm to my mouth and gently kissed it. I let the tears freely fall down my face and wondered if he knew he was home.

_TBC_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Another thing I know nothing about is injuries or anything medical. Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

I felt someone gently shake my shoulder and heard someone whisper my name. I opened my eyes and had to blink a few times to clear my vision. Tank was by my side, holding a cup of coffee towards me. I knew I shouldn't drink caffeine, but one cup couldn't hurt, so I gratefully accepted it.

My hand was still in Ranger's and I had fallen asleep on the side of his bed. I was hoping that it had all been a horrible nightmare, but he was still unconscious.

"Will he be alright?" I asked, my eyes never leaving our hands.

Luckily Tank didn't hesitate. "Should be. The doctors' are just waiting for him to wake up."

I sighed and sipped at the hot liquid. I had missed coffee so much in these last few months!

"Come on," said Tank. "If I don't feed you Ranger will put me in the bed next to him."

He was using his Boss voice and if I wasn't so exhausted I might have smiled. Not wanting anyone else to get hurt I gave Ranger's hand a gentle squeeze before following Tank to the cafeteria. On a good day I hated hospital food, but today just the thought of it made me feel sick, so I grabbed an apple and sat down in the relatives' room to try and collect my thoughts.

"It's getting late. Why don't you go home and rest for a while?" Tank suggested. I looked up at him and shook my head. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I'd just toss and turn for hours.

"Steph, you're almost six months pregnant," he reasoned. Who knew Merry Men negotiated? "You need rest."

Again I shook my head. He sighed. Sighed! "At least go home and have something to eat. Take a shower, change into something more comfortable and you'll feel better. All this stress isn't good for you or the baby."

Knowing he was right I reluctantly agreed and went to see Ranger one last time before we left.

Tank drove me back to my apartment in silence. Not that I expected much else, but it had changed from the usual silence into a comfortable one that only two friends could share. I really was lucky to have so many people that cared about me. We pulled into my parking lot and I thanked my driver, making him promise to call me if there was any change with Ranger. I took the elevator and unlocked my front door. Dropping a grape into Rex's cage I dug around the fridge for something to eat. Anything to take my mind off of Ranger.

Leaving the kitchen I stripped my clothes off and headed for the bathroom. I took the locket off from around my next and put it on the counter. I had a quick shower and got dressed into a pair of maternity pants and a comfortable shirt. As much as I hated to admit it, I was beginning to feel slightly better.

My cell phone began to vibrate and I groaned at the caller ID. Not who I wanted to deal with right now.

"Hey, Joe," I said, after a minute of debating whether or not I should answer.

"Hey, Cupcake. I heard about Manoso. Are you OK?"

I shrugged and then realised that he couldn't actually see me. "I will be if he is."

"How's Junior?"

"A little restless."

I could hear mumbling in the background. "OK, I have to go, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks. I will," I said as I hung up.

After all that had happened Joe and I were good friends, something I never thought would come out of our relationship, but he was still uncomfortable with the idea of a mini-Ranger. I guess when you have a history like we do it's hard to let go and forget.

Staring at the phone in my hand I wondered who to call. My car was still at RangeMan and the Merry Men would only try to convince me to rest. I didn't want to start any rumours in the Burg either, so my father was the obvious choice. He drives a taxi part time in an attempt to get out of the house and away from my Grandmother.

Twenty minutes later I hopped into his taxi and we headed towards St Francis.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" he asked.

I swear I was beginning to forget what his voice sounds like. My dad is a man of few words, so when he does say something it's worth listening to him. Although most of the time all he says are insults toward his mother-in-law.

"Not really."

"Is the baby OK?"

"The baby's fine."

Dad left it at that. He knew from experience that I would tell him when I was good and ready. I sighed and watched the raindrops fall from the sky out the window. The day had started so nicely. The sun was shining and I was going to spend it with the people I care about. Then Ranger got shot and the rain began to pour.

I hugged my dad before I got out of the car and ran inside to avoid getting wet. I felt the baby kick as I walked down the corridors, I guess he or she must hate hospitals as much as I do.

I heard voices coming from Ranger's room. My heart sank when I heard a woman talking to him in Spanish. I looked through the door and saw a woman with grey hair leaning over the bed. She had skin a few shades lighter than that of Ranger and looked to be about my mom's age.

Wow, I was looking at Ranger's mother. I was beginning to think that he didn't have any parents.

I was frozen on the spot, wondering what to do. Had Ranger ever mentioned me? Did she know I was pregnant with her son's child? What if she didn't like me? What if she didn't think I'd make a good mother? Hell, _I_ don't think I'll make a good mother.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and nearly screamed. I span around and saw Shona grinning at me. I guess stealthiness must run in the Manoso family. "Hey, Stephanie," she said.

"Hello, Shona. How are you?" I said, remembering my manners.

She nodded. "I'm fine," he eyes moved to Ranger's room. "You can go in if you want. Mama won't mind."

I shook my head. "I don't want to intrude. How is he? Has he woken up yet?"

"Not yet. The doctors say he should come to in the next few hours. He's strong; he's been in worse situations. He'll be fine," she insisted. She grabbed my wrist and started to pull me through the door. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

Before I could protest I was at the end of Ranger's bed. Shona introduced me to her mother and we shook hands. "It's good to finally meet you, dear. My name is Maria," she smiled slightly and put a hand on my large stomach. "I've heard a lot about you."

I looked at her in surprise. "Really?" I'd never heard anything about her.

"Oh yes. It's a pleasure to finally meet the woman who's stolen my son's heart. And now you're carrying his child."

What? I must have misheard because I could have sworn she said I'd stolen her son's heart. The only heart of his I owned was silver, on a chain and around my neck. I didn't want to tell her that the baby was an accident. "Ranger and I don't have that kind of relationship."

She tried again. "Are you sure? Carlos often speaks very fondly of you."

I shook my head and sat down next to the bed, taking Ranger's hand I mine again and stroking my thumb over his knuckles. I was suddenly very curious as to what he had said to her about me. Maria gave my shoulder a squeeze before she and Shona left the room. I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I was beyond tired but knew I wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully until I saw for myself that Ranger was all right. His mom seemed nice and it was easy to see where he and his sister got their good looks. I hoped that he would pass those good looks onto his son or daughter as he had with Julie.

He looked so different when he was asleep. He looked younger, the stress of everyday life no longer as visible. He looked innocent and peaceful, the dangerous edge to him no longer present. He looked...almost vulnerable. Except Ranger didn't do vulnerable.

Three hours later I was still by his side and really needed to pee. I quickly went to the bathroom and saw Maria leaning against the doorframe in a Ranger-like stand when I came back. "Do you love my son?" she asked casually.

I froze, wondering how to answer. I went with, "What?"

"Do you love my son?" she repeated, turning to face me.

I focused on the ground, avoiding the gaze of her dark brown eyes. Did I love Ranger? The simple answer was yes. Yes I loved him. I loved him with all my heart and with everything I had. I loved the way he called me Babe, I loved the way he would drop everything in a second to help me when I was in trouble and I loved the way he made he feel. He made me feel like I was the most beautiful woman in the world. He made me feel important and special. He made me feel really good about myself.

"Yes," I whispered so quietly that I wasn't sure she heard me.

I was amazed at how easily I admitted that. It took me years to admit that I loved Morelli and even then it had taken someone getting shot for me to do so.

Maria smiled a one hundred-watt smile. "Stay with him. Stay by his side for me. My husband just got back from work and I have to go. It was great to meet you," she pulled me into a hug. "When Carlos is released he'll have to bring you to dinner one night. I'm sure the rest of the family would love to see you."

I smiled, wondering if I actually wanted to meet the 'rest of the family'. "Thank you."

She rested a hand on my cheek. "Take care."

I walked back to Ranger's room and ran a hand through my hair. I probably looked like shit and briefly wondered if Ranger would have a heart attack when he saw what a sight I was.

Then I heard the most beautiful word in the word. "Babe…"

I pushed the button for attention by the side of his bed. "Hey," was all I was able to manage. Tears were spilling down my cheeks. Damn hormones! The floodgates seem to open at the drop of a pin these days.

He slowly opened his eyes to look at me and he blinked a few times. He smiled, obviously realising where he was, when his gaze reached my stomach. "Little Babe."

I entwined our fingers. "Are you in pain?"

He shook his head.

A woman in a long white coat came into the room and pushed me out of the way, trying to examine him. I took a few steps back and let the doctor earn her pay check. She poked and prodded him and asked what hurt. The standard stuff. I had had it performed on me a dozen times. She injected something into his IV and I hoped that it was pain medication. She indicated for me to follow her outside.

"He was lucky. The bullet missed his major organs, the wound isn't that deep and there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage," she said her tone of voice gentle.

Thank God, he was going to be OK.

The woman carried on. "I've sedated him. His body needs rest," she gave me a quick once over. "And from the looks of it, so do you. How far along are you?"

My hands automatically went to my stomach. "About six months."

She smiled. "Why don't you go and get some rest? I promise he'll be OK."

I nodded and went back to his room, sitting down and listening to the steady beeping of the heart machine. I rested my head on the side of his bed and watched Ranger's chest steadily rise and fall. Not able to keep my eyes open any longer I fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

_A/N: This chapter feels really off to me, but let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Warning: Contains minor spoilers for TS that really only make sense if you've read the book._

_Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it._

I woke up to someone playing with the unruly curls in my hair. I opened my eyes to find Ranger smiling and watching me. Even after a few days in hospital he still smelt vaguely of Bulgari and even after months of not seeing him it still made me shiver.

"Morning," I said, stretching my arms above my head. "Or is it afternoon?"

"It's 5pm, Babe," he took my hand and kissed my palm. "You've been asleep for hours."

No wonder my neck felt so stiff. I hadn't slept for that long since I was a teenager.

I felt Ranger's hand leave my hair and travel down my body until he rested it on my stomach. We both felt the baby kick and he flashed his genuine two hundred-watt smile. I covered his hand with mine to hold it there, only just realising that the last time he had seen me was when I was still able to fit into normal sized clothes.

"I've missed you," I mumbled, catching his gaze and holding it. His chocolate brown eyes softened marginally.

His thumb ran gently circles around the spot the baby had kicked. "I've missed you to. I'm sorry I was gone for so long. There were some complications."

"Will I get to hear about it?"

He shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry," his eyes moved to my stomach. "So, is my Little Babe a mini-me or a mini-you?"

I smiled and shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't know if you wanted to know and there was no way I could have kept a secret that big."

"Do you want to know?"

I shrugged again. "As long as it's healthy, I don't care whether it's a boy or a girl."

I really wanted to know what he wanted, but I knew not to push these things, so decided to change the subject. We'd talk about it later. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"When do you get to leave?"

"Within the week."

My smile grew. It was good to have the Man of Mystery back in my life. Things had been much to boring recently. I felt my eyes well up with tears and had to blink hard to get rid of them. Unfortunately, Ranger wasn't drugged enough not to notice. "Babe, what's wrong?"

I held back a sob as the salty tears fell down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and felt him shift position, his left hand still on my stomach. With his injured chest it couldn't have been very comfortable for him but I was too tired emotionally to push away. I just buried my head into his neck and cried. He held me to him loosely until I was empty of tears. He asked if I was OK again.

I slowly nodded, not making any attempt to move. "I'm just so glad you're alright," I whispered.

He let go of me and leant back in his bed. He pulled me up next to him and I swung my legs up, mentally moaning as he began to rub at the stiff muscles in my neck. I knew that I should be the one helping him, not the other way around, but the way his hands felt against my skin was too good to pass up. "I'm sorry I got your shirt wet," I mumbled.

I could feel him chuckle against me. "Don't make me laugh, Babe, it hurts."

I put my hand gently on his chest and could feel the thick bandages under the white hospital shirt. I told him everything that had happened while he had been away and about meeting his mother. Not one for small talk Ranger just listened and occasionally nodded. I felt my eyelids get heavy and shifted into a more comfortable position.

I wondered what the Merry Men would think if they saw us now. What did it mean anyway? Ranger has always sent me mixed signals, the stolen kisses in the alley behind the bonds' office, the flirting, and sending me back to Morelli the morning after, but I was more confused now than ever. Here he was, holding me and massaging me, but what did it mean? Was it because of the baby or the drugs? Why is nothing in my life ever straightforward? I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

OoO

I woke up wrapped in strong arms and to someone trailing open-mouthed kisses up my neck and across my jaw. Ranger. What I wouldn't do to wake up like this every morning. I didn't want to open my eyes, but my breathing had changed and I knew that he knew I was awake. He blew on the wet trail, making me shiver, just like he had the evening he told me he was leaving. His mouth returned to my neck and sucked and nipped. He bit down on my pulse point and marked me, I moaned.

The next thing I knew his mouth was crushing down on mine and I melted into the kiss. It was a good thing we were in a bed or I would have collapsed onto the floor. He removed his tongue from my mouth and ran it along my lower lip, making my toes curl.

He ran a hand through my hair and kissed me again, passionate and demanding, needy and hungry. The kiss lasted for several minutes, our tongues battling for control. He pulled away, his face inches from mine. He looked into my eyes with his chocolate brown orbs and whispered against my lips, "I love you."

OoO

I opened my eyes and looked around. It was dark; the only noises were Ranger's breathing. I shifted out of his grasp, trying not to wake him up. Luckily he had been sedated again and didn't notice. I really needed to pee!

I walked down the brightly-lit corridors and glanced at a clock against the wall. It was 11pm. I opened the bathroom door, took care of business and splashed some water on my face. I looked at my reflection from the mirror above the sink. I tugged at the collar of my shirt and inspected my neck.

No bite mark.

Crap! I thought as realisation hit me. It had been a dream!

Every kiss, every bite, every lick, it had all been a dream. Ranger admitting he loved me had been a dream. Well, duh, of course it had been a dream. He doesn't do relationships. But still, it had all felt so real. Wishful dreaming I guess.

Blaming it on hormones and the smell of hospital disinfectant I left the bathroom and went to get something to eat.

Four days later Lester handed me Ranger's release papers. The wound in his chest was healing nicely and the doctors had put him on bed rest for a week. Not for a minute did I believe that he would actually stay in bed for a whole week, but the doctors seemed to believe he would.

Lester helped him into the passenger's seat of the Porsche while I got into the back. Lester slipped into his zone and Ranger slipped into a passenger zone. Why am I the only one unable of reaching a zone?

I asked if we were going back to the RangeMan building and received a shake of the head from Lester.

"You're dropping me off at my apartment?"

Another shake.

I sighed. "Where _are_ we going then?"

Ranger shifted in his seat. "You'll see."

I gazed out of the window and watched as the blurs of colour flew by. I felt the baby kick and rubbed circles on my stomach. I yawned and rested my head against the window. Maybe if I just rested my eyes for a minute…

"Bomber? Bombshell, time to wake up," said Lester, brushing some stray curls out of my face.

I yawned again and looked up at him, taking his hand as he helped me out of the car. I turned around and froze on the spot. In front of me was a modern, white, two-story house. It was big, but not overly big, with balconies, large windows and French doors. It looked like it had been taken out of a magazine.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Ranger appeared beside me, his mouth smiling. "Welcome to the Batcave, Babe."

I felt my mouth drop. _This_ was where Ranger lived? No wonder he didn't want Lula and I finding out about this place. I would never want to leave.

I smiled and looked around. There were cameras, electronic gates and other security devices in place around the house. It looked a bit like a beach house without the beach.

"Why are we at the Batcave?"

Ranger dug a set of keys out of his pocket. "I was hoping you'd stay with me for a few days. Until I'm back on my feet."

I watched him enter a series of codes and unlock the front door. "You want me to stay with you?" I asked in disbelief. "What about my stuff? What about Rex?"

"I had Bobby and Ella go to your apartment earlier. Everything you need is upstairs."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what if I don't want to stay?" I asked.

Our eyes locked and we held each other's gaze. "And would you really say no?"

I slowly shook my head. "Can't you get one of your men to help you?"

"I could have."

And that was the end of that conversation.

Lester handed me Ranger's pain meds and hugged me. "Gary Collins is back in Trenton by the way," he said. Since I seem to attract so many stalkers and psychos, the Merry Men have taken to notifying me when one of the skips I helped bring in gets out of jail. It gives me an idea of where everyone is. But since Collins was only in jail for a month or so, I wasn't that worried. "Take care, Beautiful," he smiled cheekily and got back into the Porsche.

Ranger put a hand at the small of my back and gave me a gentle push inside. He led me into the lounge and flipped on the light switch. I spun around a few times, taking in my surroundings. A large plasma screen television hung against the far wall, a large black leather sofa sat against the opposite wall. I smiled and pictured Ranger and some of the Merry Men all sitting in front of the TV, beer cans in hand and watching a game.

There were several framed photos on top of a mantlepiece. The first one was of Ranger, Tank, Bobby and Lester, all looking very young and carrying very large weapons. Another was of an equally young looking Ranger holding a new-born baby; Julie. The two could only have been taken a few months apart. My eyes finally came to the last one. It was of him and me in front of the bonds office. His hands were on my waist, mine on his chest. Our faces were inches from each other's, moments away from connecting. It looked like it had been taken from a security camera, except that there are no cameras near the office. That I know of any way.

If my mom ever saw the kitchen she'd think she was in heaven. It was twice the size of a normal kitchen and I found it hard picturing a domestic Ranger.

"I have a housekeeper for when I'm here," he said, doing the ESP thing. He smiled. "Don't worry, you don't have to cook."

I rolled my eyes Burg style, but was glad. If he expected me to have his children and cook and clean for him he had another think coming. "What do you mean when you're here?"

"Most the time I stay at the apartment on the seventh floor."

I looked out of the window and saw a large clear blue swimming pool. Too bad none of my bikinis fit anymore. That was about the only positive thing about being pregnant; bigger boobs.

He led me upstairs and showed me to the guestroom at the end of the corridor. On the way I passed a room with light blue walls, posters, a single bed and a closet. I guessed it was Julie's room. She'd been coming down from Miami during school holidays in an attempt to get to know Ranger better after the whole Scrog incident. Also on the way to my room was, surprise surprise, a home gym.

The guestroom had a king-sized bed, a huge mirror against the wall, a closet as big as my apartment, a bathroom with a Jacuzzi and a door that led to a balcony, which overlooked the pool. A small suitcase was sitting on the bed. Ranger left me alone to unpack. I opened the case and found enough clothes for about a week. I hoped that it had been Ella who had packed me my underwear, not Bobby.

I put all my clothes away and went back downstairs. Ranger had his back to the door. He was talking on the phone and making a pot of coffee. I waited until he was done before entering.

"Hey," I smiled.

"Babe," he said by way of greeting. He handed me a mug of coffee. I hesitated. "One cup can't hurt, and you look like you could do with some."

How the hell does he do that?

We walked into the lounge and sat down on the big leather couch.

"So why am I here again?" I asked, trying not to concentrate on the fact that our knees were touching.

He sipped at his coffee, black of course. "Because I want to know that your safe, and I want to make sure my baby knows its father. I'm not going to make the same mistake I made with Julie."

"At least your trying to fix it," I defended him.

He gave an almost-nod. "So how is the baby?"

"It's fine. Everything's healthy and I have another doctor's appointment in a few days, you're more than welcome to come."

He gave a full nod this time and looked at me. I tried not to squirm in my seat; it felt like he was looking straight into my soul. "We need to talk about this, Babe."

Great. My 'talks' with Ranger have never ended particularly well.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't want to bring this up when you were first adjusting to the idea of being pregnant, and I wasn't expecting to be away for as long as I was," he ran a hand through his shorter than usual hair, making it stand up. Hot.

He continued, "What's going to happen to this baby when it's born, Steph? Who's going to look after it, feed it, change it, rock it to sleep?"

I found it hard picturing either of us doing any of those things. "I don't know," I whispered, my hands instantly going to my stomach. I know I've said before that I didn't want children for at least a few years, but my motherly instincts had kicked in and now I was really looking forward to meeting my child. Looking forward to seeing what he or she would look like, what they would sound like and what they would grow up to become. "What is going to happen?"

Ranger did his version of a sigh. "And then there's the question of where's it going to live. Your apartment is barely big enough for yourself."

I felt my eyes well up with tears. He was making it sound like it was _my_ fault. Obviously noticing my expression he wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me into him. I tried not to put to much pressure on his chest. "I'm sorry. Probably that sounded like I was blaming you. I'm not."

He began to rub my back. "You're right though. What am I going to do?"

"Don't cry, there are lots of things you could do," he said. "There's an apartment at RangeMan that's free, or you could always stay here for a while." He hesitated before he said it.

I shook my head. Neither of those would work. I didn't want my child to be brought up in a high security building with big scary men who don't say anything, and after living with Morelli I realised I probably wasn't the best roommate. That left one option, as there was no way I was going to live with my parents again.

"Maybe it is time for a change," I mumbled into his shoulder. "I've been living in that apartment for years now. Maybe I should look for a new house. I have a bit of money saved up that I could use."

Ranger shook his head. "I'll take care of it, Babe."

"I can't ask you to do that!" I said in shock. Lending me cars is one thing, buying me a house is another thing entirely. Even if they're probably isn't much difference in price.

"You don't have to ask, I'm going to do it anyway."

His tone of voice suggested that he wasn't going to argue. He was buying me a house, end of story. I wonder if it was him talking or the drugs, he had been acting a bit un-Ranger-like since he'd gotten back.

"We've still got a few months until the baby's born. We'll start looking for a house soon," he got up and walked across the room to a cabinet. He opened the door and came back with a stack of boxes. "What about a movie? How does Ghostbusters sound?"

_A/N: So, should Steph find a new house and keep her independence, or stay with Ranger? Thanks for reading!_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed the last chapter, and thanks for all the ideas and suggestions! I hope you like this one._

I woke up the following morning in the guestroom, wrapped in warm blankets. The sheets were really nice, but not as nice as the ones in the apartment on the seventh floor at RangeMan. I closed me eyes, rolled onto my side and tried to get back to sleep, but the baby kept kicking, making it hard for me to relax.

I tired to remember how I had ended up in bed. I must have fallen asleep about halfway through Ghostbusters. I hoped Ranger hadn't carried me all the way to my room, but then again, how else would I have gotten here?

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, went to the bathroom and tied my hair into a lazy ponytail. I was horribly tempted to take a nice long bubble bath in the Jacuzzi, but then decided against it. Maybe later. 

My stomach rumbled and I had a sudden craving for doughnuts and pickles. Hmm, now what are the chances of Ranger having anything but rabbit food in the fridge?

It was about nine in the morning, so I figured Ranger would already be awake. I was right; he was sitting at the table in the kitchen dressed in sweats and typing away at a laptop. I mentally sighed. The man could break his leg and would still go running in the morning. Where as I would break my leg just so I wouldn't have to go running.

"Sleep well?" he asked, his eyes not leaving the screen.

I smiled and opened the door to the fridge. "Did you carry me to bed last night?"

He nodded and I shut the fridge, finding nothing I would consider edible. "You should have just woken me," I said.

"Why?" he got up off the chair he was sitting on and winced.

"For exactly that reason," my eyes cut to his chest. "You're supposed to be resting. Have you taken your meds yet?"

"No."

My eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

He did a Ranger-shrug. "They make me…" his eyes travelled to the ceiling and he seemed to be searching for the right word.

"Loopy?" I offered.

The corners of his mouth tugged into a half-grin. "For lack of a better word, yeah."

I sighed and leant against the kitchen counter. I thought I was the difficult one.

"Do you have anything to eat in this house?"

He shook his head. "Nothing you'd eat, Babe. What do you want?"

I though about it for a moment before deciding. "A big greasy bucket of chicken from Cluck-in-a-bucket, with doughnuts and a hot chocolate."

I could see the amusement in his eyes. OK, so it's not the healthiest of meals in the world, and who knew how much weight I would put on, but I was really hungry.

Ranger raised an eyebrow. I tried to mimic him, but failed. "For breakfast?"

I nodded and looked him up and down. His hair was still damp from his shower and was sticking up in a very tempting manner. What I wouldn't do to run my hairs through it. He folded his arms across his broad chest in a typical Ranger stand. Perhaps I could just have him for breakfast.

He flashed the wolf grin and I realised I must have said the last part out loud. "Hold that thought for later. Would you settle for just the doughnuts?" he asked, the grin never leaving his face.

I blushed bright crimson and managed another tiny nod. I hung my head to avoid eye contact as I felt him walk past me. How embarrassing?

I could hear the amusement in his voice as he called, "Try not to blow anything up while I'm gone."

Clearly I was entertaining him again. I was going to call back that I hadn't blown anything up since he had been away, but I didn't trust myself not to comment on his ass or legs. Why jinx it anyway? I heard the front door shut and only vaguely registered the fact that he shouldn't be driving, but I knew he'd be OK.

Willing my face to return to its natural colour, I looked around for something to entertain myself with. Where to start? Who knew what secrets this house held? My legs all but carried themselves towards Ranger's room. I knew it was wrong and disrespective of his privacy, but I couldn't resist. After all, it was only fair. He knew almost everything that there was to know about me, so I deserved to find out a few new things about him. That's what I told myself anyway as I came to the door of his room.

I turned the handle and the door swung open. The first thing I noticed was that the room had a very un-lived in feeling – very impersonal, but hey, it was Ranger. His bed was nicely made, not a single crease in the silky sheets. I briefly wondered about that house keeper he had mentioned.

I looked around and couldn't resist looking in his closets. There were the usual black cargos, black shirts, RangeMan uniform and black shoes. As in his apartment, only one pair of black silk boxers. Hmm, interesting.

There was a single photo frame sitting on the bedside table. In it were four smaller photos. One of him, one of Julie, one of me, and one of the unborn baby. I guessed one of the Merry Men had been to his apartment. It made us look, well, almost like a family. Except that Ranger had said on numerous occasions that he didn't want a family.

I must have been in his room for longer than I thought, because I saw a black very-expensive-and-probably-stolen Ranger car pull up outside the house. I quickly made sure everything was how I had found it and ran back downstairs.

Sitting on the counter in the kitchen was a bag from the Tasty Pastry. Leaning on the counter next to them was Ranger; I was torn between which one I wanted more.

"Thanks," I said. The black silk boxers flashed into my mind. No underwear! Great, now my hormones are going crazy.

He said nothing but took a step closer to me and watched as I bit into one of the doughnuts. I let out a quiet moan and felt him tense slightly behind me. "Got any pickles?" I asked.

"Pickles?" he questioned in shock. I remembered that he hadn't yet been subjected to my weird food cravings.

I felt him chuckle silently. He wrapped his arms around me and spread his hands on my stomach. "Sorry, Babe, I'm all out of pickles."

I could feel the warmth on his hands through my shirt. His eyes must have caught sight of chain around my neck as he reached under my shirt and lifted the heart shaped locket from under it. He traced the pattern with his finger. "Do you like it?"

I let out a little sigh of happiness. "It's beautiful."

The baby kicked and I felt him smile into my hair.

"When is your next doctors appointment?" he whispered, his breath hot against my skin.

I smiled. "Day after tomorrow."

He tilted my head up with his fingers and took my mouth with his. I closed my eyes and felt my body relax. It felt good to be able to enjoy this without the guilt over Morelli. He deepened the kiss, but it felt like his mind was preoccupied…although other parts of him certainly weren't.

I could feel my neck beginning to protest at the position we were in, so, by way of ESP, Ranger pulled back. He turned me to face him and began playing with the collar of my shirt. "My family is expecting us for dinner tonight," he said, looking me in the eye. I guess that was where his mind had been.

And suddenly all those good feelings left me. "What?"

"Relax, they'll love you."

"Your family? All of them?" I remembered Ranger once mentioning he came from a big family. Something like six kids. Who would have that many? I'm still getting my head around one.

He gave a nod and I felt his fingers brush against my neck. Dinner with the Bat family.

"What time?"

He pulled me closer towards him. "We're expected at about five?"

"Five?" I squeaked.

That only left me with a few hours to get ready. I still wasn't properly dressed. I had to pick an outfit, shower, wash my hair, style it, do my make-up, shave (as much as I could with my stomach in the way) and find a pair of shoes.

I headed up the stairs and flung my closet door open, looking for something half-decent to wear. Luckily, Bobby and Ella had packed me a few of my maternity dresses. I laid them each over the bed and looked at them. Eventually choosing one that looked good yet casual, I went to take a shower. Not being bothered to stand up for any lengthily amount of time I filled the Jacuzzi with hot, bubbling water. It was heaven and I stayed in until my skin was pruney. I shampooed and conditioned my hair before rubbing a bit of lotion on all of the places I could reach. I ran a blob of gel through my hair and styled it. Once it had dried the end result wasn't so bad. I spent a further hour applying make up and then got changed into my dress. I left my silky curls loose, brushing against my back. I looked hot.

There was a knock at the door. Ranger looked semi-normal in a pair of faded black jeans, dark shirt and leather jacket. He looked me up and down for a few moments before his wolf grin appeared on his face. I blushed at the silent compliment and smiled.

"Babe," he held his arm out and I took it; I always loved to look at out contrasting skin tones. Light and dark. Yin and yang.

He opened the door to the Porsche he knew I loved and then got behind the wheel. Before he slipped into his zone I said, "So, give me the Manoso Family 101."

He gave me the half grin and took my hand in his. "I have one younger brother, three older sisters and one younger, one of which you've met, three nieces and three nephews, both parents still living and my Grandma Rosa should be there as well."

Great.

"What's your Grandmother like?" I asked, praying she wasn't anything like Grandma Mazur. I love my Grandma, but one is more than enough. Oh God, what if she was a Cuban Grandma Bella? "Is there a Cuban equivalent to the Eye?" I had to ask.

That got me the full grin, but no answer, which had me slightly worried. For the rest of the drive we sat in comfortable silence. I soon began to recognise the area we were in when we were searching for Julie. He pulled up behind several other cars in front of a modern, two-story house. He gave my hand a squeeze before getting out and opening the passenger door for me.

I had butterflies in the pit of my stomach, the type you get when you're just about to plummet the length of a roller coaster. I had put on extra layers of mascara for confidence, but I didn't think there was enough mascara in the world to calm me. Unfortunately, Ranger ignored my nerves (I'm sure he noticed them, he notices everything) and led me towards the front door of the house.

I took a deep breath as he knocked. "Relax, Steph. Just be yourself."

I nodded and rested a hand on my stomach for comfort.

Maria opened the door and beamed when she saw us. Her hair hung loosely against her shoulders and she was dressed in a long skirt and matching shirt. She embraced her son in a hug, said something to him in Spanish and then turned her attention to me.

"Stephanie, it's so good to see you again," she gently hugged me and smiled. "Come on in and we'll introduce you to everyone."

I stayed close to Ranger as we followed Maria into the lounge. From a distance voices and laughter could be heard, but it was silent as soon as we entered the room. There were three large sofas which were all being sat on by various people, eight large chairs and on the floor were six children from about fifteen years to about eight months._ Everyone _had brown eyes, I felt a bit out of place with my blue ones.

Each of the kids had various shades of mocha latte skin and dark hair. Two were sitting in front of a large TV playing a rather violent looking video game, another two – twins – were playing with action figures, the eldest was reading a book and the youngest was lying on a mat, asleep.

Five women were sitting on the sofas. Four, one of which was Shona, all had the Manoso skin, hair and eyes. I was pleased to see that they weren't in black. The last woman had blonde hair, light brown eyes and slightly tanned skin, obviously not a blood relative.

The chairs were occupied by six big, Ranger sized men. One was an older version of him, another a younger. His father and brother.

Even when Valerie, Albert and the girls were over, my parents house was never this busy.

Everyone's eyes were focused on Ranger and I, and I had to resist the urge to scream just to end the silence. He cleared his throat loudly and the kids all looked up. They all smiled and ran up to him screaming, "Uncle Carlos!"

He picked the twins up whilst the smaller ones latched onto his leg. The baby was still asleep on the floor. He ruffled the twin's hair and then set them back down on the ground. He shook hands with the oldest and they exchanged greetings in Spanish.

"Everyone," said Ranger, putting a protective hand on my shoulder. "This is Stephanie. Steph, you've already met Shona, the women standing next to her are my sisters, Celia, Kalila and Carly."

I tried to remember them by the colour of their clothes. They all looked stunning, with thin, wavy hair below their shoulders and dressed casually.

"That's my dad, Ricardo, and my brother, Miguel. The woman next to him is his wife, Alexis; their son is the one asleep on the floor. Celia owns the twins, Kalila owns the eldest and Carly owns the other two," he pointed to a group of men who were playing with the kids. "And they're the girls husbands and boyfriend."

I guessed 'the girls' were his sisters. I blinked a couple of times, trying to get my head around his huge family. I was feeling overwhelmed and slightly claustrophobic.

One of 'the girls' – Carly I think – smiled. "Well, its about time Carlos finally brought you to dinner," she said.

"Yeah," said Kalila? "We've heard a lot about you."

I wished I could say the same. Relaxing slightly, I smiled back, my Burg manners taking over. "It's nice to meet you too."

"So this is the infamous Bombshell Bounty Hunter, eh?" asked Miguel. He and Ranger did some complicated hand shake thing and then did the man hug thing, slapping each other on the back. Men.

I blushed at the comment and nickname. Thankfully, Maria came to my rescue. "Give her some room to breathe everyone, you're embarrassing her."

I grinned slighty. Miguel's gaze travelled to my stomach and then back to Ranger. "Boy, you didn't waste any time, did you?"

Celia hit him in the arm. "How far along are you?" she asked.

"Six months."

She nodded. "Well, anything you want to know, don't be afraid to ask any of the women here. We've all had kids, well, except Shona," she winked at me and grinned.

There were a million things I wanted to ask about the baby or the birth, but I'd probably be better off asking Mary Lou or my sister. There were a lot of things I wasn't even comfortable asking my mother, yet alone Ranger's sisters.

Maria led us into the kitchen. It smelt amazing, better than my mom's did on Christmas Eve when she made ham and pineapple upside-down cake. My mouth watered and judging from the look on Ranger's face I think I may have moaned. Maria confirmed my suspicions when she chuckled. I felt the heat rush to my face again.

"Carlos, your grandmother is outside setting the table. Why don't you go and introduce her," she suggested.

I felt Ranger's hand at the small of my back, he gave me a push towards the back door. I gasped and took in the back yard. It was huge. Two large white tables were joined together in the middle of the patio; I was wondering how we were all going to eat. At the end of the table were sets of smaller cutlery and glasses for the children. There was sparkling water and wine set out; it all looked like a dinner party for one of RangeMan's clients.

An elderly woman was setting the final places at the opposite end of the table. Next to her was…Julie! Who looked stunning in a short skirt, a tank top and her hair in a high ponytail.

Her face lit up. "Ranger!" she cried once she saw us.

He smiled the two hundred-watt smile and they embraced. Since Scrog, the two of them have been in regular contact, mostly through e-mail, and are slowly becoming more like father and daughter, although I still found it odd that she didn't call him dad, especially after what had happened. She had been willing to kill for him after all.

She smiled back and he kissed the top of her head. "Are you alright?" she asked, the worry clear in her small voice. "I heard you got shot again."

"I'm fine, Jools," he said, brushing some hair out of her face. "What are you doing here?" he seemed genuinely surprised.

She shrugged. "Tank called about what happened and I insisted on coming. Don't worry, mom saw me off at the airport and Grandma met me picked me up."

Since she had been kidnapped Ranger had been tighter with her security. He knew there was no threat against her, but I think he feels responsible for what happened, even though it wasn't his fault. The man has way to many demons.

"Hey, Steph," said Julie, grinning when she saw my stomach.

"Hey," I smiled. At that moment the baby kicked. I took her hand and placed it on the same spot. The baby kicked again and she giggled.

"Wow. Have you chosen a name yet?"

I shook my head. "No, we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl. Any suggestions?"

She thought about it for a moment. "I like Aurora for a girl, and maybe Damien for a boy."

I nodded. Aurora was a pretty name for a girl, but I wasn't too keen on the name Damien.

"Or will you stick to the Manoso tradition?"

I turned around and saw the woman Julie was with standing behind me. She was about an inch shorter than me, about fifty years older and obviously dyed her hair dark brown.

"Steph, this is my Grandma Rosa," Ranger introduced us.

She smiled brightly and extended her right hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Call me Abuela, everybody else does."

I shook her outstretched hand and turned my attention back to Ranger. "Tradition?" he had never mentioned a tradition. Then again, we hadn't had much of a chance to talk about the baby since he'd been back.

He gave a half shrug. "My great-grandfather started a tradition of naming your first born son after it's father."

His tone suggested he didn't like the tradition.

I did a quick mental calculation. "I can practically hear the gears turning, Babe," he teased.

Because I'm super mature I responded by sticking my tongue out at him. I blamed it on the hormones.

"So you are Ricardo Carlos Manoso the fourth?" I asked.

He gave a small nod and greeted his grandmother with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I had only been there a few minutes, but I could already feel the love this family shared. My family expressed love through food, and even then Grandma Mazur goes shooting parts off of chickens with a gun.

Maria called to everyone that the food was ready and people began to pour from the house. Ranger pulled out a chair for me, opposite Julie and next to him. Maria, Miguel and Kalila all carried pots and pans of delicious smelling food and set them down. They took their seats and Abuela said grace, thanking the Lord for the meal we were about to receive. Wine was poured (sparkling water for those under twenty-one, driving or pregnant) and the food was passed around until everyone had a full plate. It must have taken days to prepare the meal.

The main course was chicken with vegetables, garlic sauce and potatoes. Ranger couldn't hide a smile when he handed me a pot of pickles. The woman gave me knowing looks; everyone else looked slightly grossed out when I scooped a mouthful of chicken and pickles into my mouth. I tried to keep the moaning to a minimum, but I let a few escape me.

Halfway through the meal I felt Ranger's knee brush against mine. He apologised and moved it, but a few minutes later I felt it against mine again and this time he didn't move.

Conversation soon turned to the topic of me. Apparently the Merry Men had told them a lot about my…adventures in bounty hunting. If you can call them that.

"Did you really set fire to the funeral home?" asked one of the smaller kids. Great, even the children know what a disaster I am.

I sighed and could feel Ranger chuckle next to me. "No, it wasn't my fault. My Grandma was the one who set it on fire."

Miguel elbowed his brother. "Oh yeah," he grinned. "Tank says her Grandma has a fondness for you."

Now it was Ranger's turn to sigh. It's not a secret that Grandma Mazur makes him feel uncomfortable, maybe it's her constant comments about his package. Maybe that's why he said he doesn't do relationships or marriage, because marrying me would mean being related to Grandma Mazur, and who wants to be sexually harassed by their grandmother-in-law?

The women began to compare horror stories about their children. Apparently Carly didn't sleep for nearly a week when she had her second one.

Noticing the apparent horror of not sleeping for a week on my face, Ranger interrupted, "Stop teasing her," but the amusement in his voice didn't go unnoticed.

When every last scrap had been eaten, Maria stood to take the plates inside. "Carlos, could you give me a hand in the kitchen please?" she asked. He squeezed my shoulder and took the children's plates.

I smiled at Julie opposite me. "How you been?" I asked.

Sighing she said, "Alright I guess."

She didn't sound all right to me. "You sure."

She lowered her voice slightly. "Mom and I haven't been getting on lately."

"Why not?"

Julie shrugged. "We just see things differently."

I nodded in sympathy. I knew what that felt like. "I'm sure you'll work it out."

Abuela looked at the kitchen. "I wonder what's taking those two so long?"

Glancing at my watch I realised that Ranger and Maria had been gone for almost twenty minutes. "I'll go and find them," I said.

Abuela Rosa shook her head. "Nonsense. You're the guest, you stay, I'll go."

"That's OK," I was already out of the chair. "I have to use the bathroom anyway."

She smiled and told me where it was. I walked through the huge, glass double doors into the house. The bathroom was easy to find. I took care of business and checked my reflection in the mirror. I was glad to see that for once my hair was holding out.

I was amazed at the normality of the Man of Mystery's family. They were obviously very close to one another, even Julie, who I knew for a fact they didn't see very often. And they were all treating me like they'd know me for years.

I left the bathroom and walked towards the kitchen. I could hear Ranger and his mother's voices from behind the closed door.

"Do you?" I heard her ask in a slightly irritated tone of voice.

He waited several seconds before answering whatever she had said before. "Yes."

"So why don't you tell her?"

Now I was intrigued. Tell who what?

"I can't!"

Maria wasn't giving up. "Why not?"

He waited again. "I just…I just can't, mom."

I heard her sigh and realised the conversation was over. I hesitated for a second before opening the door and strolling in.

"Babe," said Ranger, tensing slightly.

"Hey," I smiled. "I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help?"

"Thank you, dear," she cast a glance at her son and then back at me. "Could you take the dessert plates outside? We're having pineapple upside down cake, I hear it's your favourite."

I looked over at Ranger, who was leaning against the counter, ankles crossed and arms folded across his broad chest, watching me.

"Thank you, it is," I said, picking up the plates and going back outside.

I stored the conversation I had over heard away for later and sat back down at the table. Moments later Ranger joined me and handed me a slice of my favourite dessert; I was torn between which I wanted more, him or the cake.

Dare I say it; it was almost better than my mother's was. I mentally moaned with every bite until there was none left. I licked my finger and scooped up the crumbs.

Maria gave a gentle laugh. "It's good to see someone appreciate my cooking so much."

I smiled and blushed slightly.

Carly, Celia, and their families left shortly after as their kids began to fall asleep. They each hugged me and told me to visit again soon.

I looked at my watch and yawned. It was getting late. Ranger, Ricardo, Miguel and Kalila were sitting in the lounge filling the others in on what had happened since the last Manoso family get together. I sat next to Ranger and tried to follow the conversation. Rubbing my eyes I leant against his warm body. His arm snaked around me to pull me close and rest his hand on my stomach.

I began to feel myself drift off to sleep when Ranger announced that it was time we were leaving. He pulled me to my feet and smiled. I shook hands and hugged people until I was exhausted.

"It was a pleasure to get to meet you," said Ricardo, smiling at his son's arm that was still around my waist in an almost protective way. "Don't be a stranger."

"Thank you," I said.

Maria hugged me and came to stand next to her husband. Ricardo mimicked Ranger and me by wrapping an arm around his wife.

I smiled. "Thank you for inviting me round. I had a great time."

We promised to send over some photos of the baby and Ranger hugged Julie one last time. "When are you going back to Miami?"

"Tomorrow morning. My flight leaves at twelve."

"I'll pick you up at eight."

I smiled and hugged the twelve year old mini-Ranger before walking down the driveway and getting into the car. Before he slipped the key into the ignition he said, "Are you busy tomorrow?"

I shook my head. "Why?"

"I made a few calls earlier. How would you like to go house hunting tomorrow?"

"That was fast."

He shrugged. "Well, it's not long until the baby's born. We've got to find a house, move in, do it up, and install security systems."

He said it casually, hoping I wouldn't notice. "Security systems?"

"You didn't think I'd let a child of mine go around unprotected did you? And besides, it will just be a few cameras; you won't even notice them. Shot of one of my men moving in for when I can't be there, this is the only option."

I sighed and didn't even bother to argue. I was too tired. Besides, he was just looking out for me, I mean us. The baby and I.

I felt him lean over to buckle my seat belt. I dropped my head to his shoulder in an, I've-just-fallen-asleep kind of manner. He smelled good enough to eat. I felt him silently chuckle and rest my head against the headrest. Moments later I was out cold.

I next thing I was aware of was the sound of the door opening.

"I'm up," I said, snapping my eyes open. "Don't try to carry me again. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure lifting heavy objects is bad for your recovery."

He smiled all two hundred-watts. He'd smiled more in these last two days that he had since I'd known him. "I'm fine, Babe," he held out his hand to help me out. "And you're not heavy."

"Yes I am. I'm fat and heavy."

He tilted my head up to look him in the eye. "You re _not_ fat, Steph. You're pregnant, with my baby. Remember that."

He entered the series of codes, unlocked the front door and flipped on the lights. I blinked a few times, trying to get used to the sudden brightness. The two of us made our way up the stairs in silence.

Once we came to the guestroom at the end of the hall I turned around and smiled brightly at him. "You have a great family, Ranger."

He smirked slightly. "Told you they'd like you."

I took a minute to scan him up and down with my eyes. Besides the hair, he was the same man as when he left for wherever he went, except he was different in a way, not that that makes sense. I licked my lips and watched his eyes darken.

"See something you like, Babe?"

All in a second he took a step forward, pinning me against the wall with his strong arms. I could feel the warmth radiating from his body, seeping through my dress. He leaned down to kiss me. The kiss started tender, but soon became so much more, so full of potential. It seemed like the perfect ending to the day. His mouth moved from mine lower to my jawbone and then to my neck. He kissed my ear and cheek all the way back to my lips.

He reached around and unzipped the back of my dress, pushing it down my shoulders. I shivered at the sudden coldness and blushed at my sudden nakedness.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, Steph," he breathed, his breath hot against my skin.

He licked and kissed his way down my body until he was on his knees in front of my bulging stomach. He rested his forehead against it for a few seconds and let out what sounded like a frustrated sigh, but I could have been mistaken. He kissed my baby bump gently before standing up again. Pressing one final kiss against my lips he pulled back.

"Goodnight, Babes."


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Thanks again for all the great reviews. Ideas and suggestions are appreciated, and once again, if you recognise it, I don't own it._

I left the house the next morning feeling optimistic about the day ahead. As I lay awake in bed last night I thought about the whole house thing. I had been living in my apartment for as long as I could remember; maybe it was time for a proper change, and not just a change of wallpaper. I also decided that Ranger's goodnight kisses never happened. I'd figure out what they meant later.

The first place we looked at was a two bedroom, one storey house. It was nice. It had a large bathroom, living room and kitchen. The décor was an effective mix of modern and Victorian style.

"I like it," I said to Ranger as we entered the second bedroom. It was smaller than the master one, but had a nice view of the neighbour's houses from the window. The building itself was a few miles away from the 'Burg and was on a quiet, usually vehicle free road.

Ranger walked over to the back door and looked out the window. "The yard is not big enough," he said simply.

I came to stand next to him and realised he was right. The yard was small, barely enough room for a swing set. Every kid has to have a swing. There really wouldn't be enough room once the child reached five. Not a positive start to the day of house hunting; I left feeling slightly disappointed.

Cop cars and paramedics surrounded the next house. It smelt suspiciously like someone had died. Obviously we turned around and got back into the Porsche.

"Where's the next house?" I asked as he pulled the car away from the curb.

His eyes stayed focused on the road in what I called his pre-zone state. "On the outskirts of the Burg."

I mentally sighed. I didn't really want to live in or near the Burg if I could help it. The pressure to become a stay-at-home-raise-the-kids housewife would always be hanging over my head, - even more than usual - a constant reminder of what people expected of me. I didn't want my son or daughter to become typically 'Burg either, growing up in a place where imagination is frowned upon, and I doubted Ranger would.

The house was bigger than the first one, but not as nice. It had three bedrooms, which meant that I could have friends over. Or Ranger. It was a typical 'Burg house. Not a speck of dust anywhere, nothing out of place, no dirty clothes or dishes left lying around and everything was squeaky clean. It wouldn't stay that way for long if I moved in.

"Steph, how do you feel about damp?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Why."

He was standing next to a large family portrait that was hanging from the wall. He pushed a corner of the picture up to reveal a large area of damp. I was shocked. 'Burg houses don't have damp, they just don't. "How did you know?"

He let go of the picture frame and it swung back down, covering the damp once more. "The wall paper was bubbly," he pointed, and indeed there were bubbles.

I groaned. So much for the third times a charm. We left the house and returned to the car.

The baby kicked and I watched with some amusement as a bump appeared on my shirt. "Where are we headed next?"

Ranger shifted in his seat. "Slater Street."

Slater Street? That was the street Morelli lived on. His Aunt Rose had left him the house after she died and he had moved in. He still hasn't got around to decorating it properly, and at first I found it hard picturing him living anywhere but his flat, but now it was hard picturing him living anywhere but the house. Joe and I may have a weird friendship, but I didn't want to move in next door to him and accidentally catch a glance of him screwing some blonde in his bedroom through my bathroom window, thank you very much.

Ranger just laughed. I gave him a look. I said that out loud, didn't I?

"Yep."

I really need to work on that.

"Sure do, Babe."

I gave him another dirty look and got out the car. Might as well at least look at the house I'm not gonna buy, just for comparison later on. Ranger shook his head and followed me as I knocked on the front door. We introduced ourselves and were given a tour of the house. The interior was almost identical to that of Joe's place, except for the beer cans and pizza boxes that made Joe's feel more like him, and kept the traditional décor.

The owner of the house showed us the second floor. Just as I thought, there was a direct view of Morelli's room from the bathroom. He'd been starting to date again recently. I was a little uncomfortable with the idea at first, but he introduced me to each of his girlfriends; they had seemed nice. None of them lasted for very long though.

I looked at my watched and sighed. We'd been looking around for three hours and still haven't found a good enough house.

"How many more have we got to look at?" I asked.

"A few."

I gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"I'm sorry, there's not much on the market in this area," he said, tucking a stray curl behind my ear. His fingers lingered for just a second to long. "You hungry?"

I smiled. "Always."

"Pino's?"

"Sure."

We drove to my favourite pizza place and took the booth at the back. As usual Ranger had his back to the wall, giving him a clear view of his surroundings. We ordered a meatball sub for me a green salad for him. I'm been trying to eat well during the pregnancy and for the baby, but sometimes a big, greasy, artery clogging sub sandwich is exactly what I need. Ranger just shook his head when I took a big bite in the middle, being careful not to get any sauce on my shirt.

Just as I finished I saw him sit up straight in his chair, his dark eyes trained on the door. I turned around and followed his gaze to Joe Morelli himself. His hair, as per usual, needed to be cut. He was dressed in jeans and a tight T-shirt that defined his excellent washboard abs. He locked eyes with me and started to walk over. Dammit! I looked over at Ranger. "Babe," was all he said, his eyes never leaving Joe.

Morelli came to stand next to me. "Cupcake," he said. "I heard you were back," he turned to Ranger.

Ranger said nothing, just continued to stare. I could feel the tension between the two alpha males. They'd always had a weird relationship. A professional relationship, and could work together when they had to. They both had things the other needed. I had always been sort of in the middle.

"Morelli," Ranger finally said.

They continued to watch each other and I could swear I saw lightning bolts flash from their eyes. "Guys?" I said warily.

Joe was wearing his unreadable cop face, devoid of any emotion. The paper thin scar through his eyebrow was just visible through his long bangs. Ranger's expression wasn't much different. I had a sudden urge to duck for cover in case they decided to have shootout just for the hell of it.

"Why?" asked Morelli, taking his hands out of his pocket.

Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Why what?"

I watched Joe's fists clench. "Why did you leave her?"

"I didn't have a choice."

"Do you care about them?" he asked, obviously meaning the baby and I.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

I looked at Joe and waited for a reaction. It was like watching a tennis match, back and forth, back and forth. I had never liked tennis.

Then he did a very unexpected thing. His fists unclenched and he extended his right hand. When Ranger didn't take it he said, "If I have to loose her, I'm glad I can loose her to someone who can look after her. Take care of both of them."

Ranger accepted Joe's hand with a firm shake, neither of them breaking eye contact. Great, now the cops have ESP as well. When they were finally beginning to loose feeling in their hands they let go. Well, that was certainly odd. Did Joe just approve of Ranger?

He gave my shoulder a gently squeeze. "I'll speak to you later, Cupcake," he smiled. With a final nod at Ranger he turned around, collected his food and left as suddenly as he came.

Ranger looked at his watch. "Ready to go?"

I looked out of the window and waved to Joe as he drove off. I nodded and Ranger paid for the food, leaving a generous tip. I offered to pay, but he refused.

"How many more houses do we have left?"

"About five."

The rest of the afternoon was spent touring Trenton. We looked at four more houses and a large apartment. I had liked them all. They were all spacious, modern and felt warm. However, Ranger didn't seem to think so. He found something wrong with each of them. They were too small, too cramped, or there were too many gangs in the area, or they were too far away from the RangeMan office.

By the time we got back to Ranger's house I was pissed off. I collapsed onto the leather couch and sighed loudly.

I felt the couch dip and Ranger began to take off my shoes. "There are some others we could look at. There are few near you parent's house, and a few near your sister's."

I shook my head. "No way."

"We'll work something out."

"And what do I do till then?" I demanded.

He began to rub my left foot. That man and his hands…

"I meant what I said, Steph. You can stay here," he met my gaze, chocolate brown meeting electric blue.

I shook my head again, my dark curls flying around. "You don't have to do that. I know you don't want me here."

He stopped the foot massage and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you think that?" he asked.

I looked at the ground, suddenly finding it very interesting. "Because…of the way you hesitated when you said it last time."

I was hoping he would drop the subject, but he carried on. "If I didn't want you here then why would I have brought you here? Like you said, I could have had one of my men do it."

I sat up and ran a hand over my face, trying to cover the discomfort I was feeling.

"What's wrong?"

Damn him!

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, mentally building myself up for what I was about to do. "I don't think I can do this anymore, Ranger," I said, my voice just above a whisper.

"Do what?"

I let out a frustrated sigh and waved my hand around. "This. I don't think I can keep doing what were doing."

He reached out to me but I pulled back. "What are we doing?"

I jumped off the couch and walked to the other side of the room, turning around to look at him. "You tell me!" I could feel my anger levels rising well above the norm.

"All the stolen kisses behind the bonds' office, the flirtations," I said my voice slightly louder than usual. I could feel an Italian temper coming on. "And then we finally do sleep together. It was one of the best nights of my life and I wake up stupidly early the next morning only to hear that your leaving. Then you tell me to go back to Morelli!"

"I did what I though was best for you. I always have your best intentions in mind, Babe."

"Don't _Babe_ me! What does that word mean anyway?" I held my hand up to stop him when I saw he was about to speak. Surprisingly, he let me continue.

"And right now, I'm more confused than ever. When you suggested I found a new house, you sounded like someone I didn't know. It was cold. Then you introduce me to your family and I find out that they know me better than I know myself. And to top it all off, you tried to seduce me only to leave me standing there in my underwear in the middle of the hall!"

I was waving my arms all over the place, but I didn't care. I wanted him to know that I wasn't willing to be his toy any longer. Being picked up whenever he was bored and then thrown away again when I got old.

"Stephanie," oh great, full name.

"Why, Ranger?" I interrupted. "Just tell me why. Please. Tell me why you mess with me so much."

He was off the couch by this point, watching me intently.

"Why?" I whispered, tears beginning to sting my eyes.

"Because I love you!"

I glared at him. If looks could kill, he probably wouldn't have lasted long. "What!" I yelled. "You don't do that to people you love, Ranger. You don't hurt them, don't make them think you care and then push them away. You just don't."

Now he was the one looking at the ground. His tone was calm but tense. "I never wanted to push you away. I did it to protect you."

The hot tears were falling freely from my eyes, butI made no attempt to wipe them away, knowing that more would take their place seconds later. "To protect me from what?"

"To protect you from me, Babe. I was afraid that you'd get emotionally attached, and then I'd go away on a mission and may never return. I never meant to hurt you. If I knew I was I would have stopped," he looked up and met my gaze. "I can't control myself around. Whenever I'm near you all I can think of is how good you smell or how soft your skin is or how wild you curls are. And maybe that's the reason we're in this situation."

He meant the baby. My hands unconsciously reached for my stomach. "Well to late! I'm already emotionally attached. I have been for years."

He swiftly took two steps forward and before I knew what was happening he was kissing me. Except the kiss was different from any other we had shared. But that didn't stop me from pushing him away; I had half a mind to slap him. That was exactly what I meant.

"Stop," I said harshly.

He pushed me against the cold wall and held me there, pinning my arms above my head. "You stop. Anger will only increase your blood pressure and that's not good for you or the baby."

I felt my body temperature skyrocket at the proximity of him. I could feel his body heat seeping through his clothes and through mine. The smell of Bulgari filled my senses; the stuff is a lethal weapon.

"Now we are going to sit down and we are going to talk about this like civilised adults," he face was inches from mine, his lips brushing against mine as he spoke.

He released my hands, leaving unintentional marks on my pale skin. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and watched as he sat down. He was serious.

_A/N: I hope Ranger's declaration of love wasn't to sudden. I really can't decide what gender Steph's child should be, so how about I take a vote. Boy or girl? Thanks for reading!_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: I know this chapter is a bit fast, but I wanted to get things moving a bit. Enjoy._

He was actually serious. He wanted us to sit down and talk about our feelings! After I had just yelled it all at him. Had he not been listening?

And wait…did he just say he loved me?

It's official; I've entered the Twilight Zone.

"What the hell is there to talk about?" my voice sounded much calmer than I actually was. Which wasn't very calm at all.

"Us."

I sighed and made an attempt to wipe the tears off my face, just to give me something to do. "That's just it though, there is no us," I said.

Now it was his turn to sigh, well, the Ranger version of a sigh anyway. "We've been through this before, Babe. I've told you, I come with a condom, not a ring."

"You don't even come with that!" I pointed to my huge stomach. "Because this isn't chocolate and doughnuts!"

He shook his head. "I told you, I want this baby. I want another chance at being a dad."

"You already have Julie."

"Any man can be a father, it takes something else to be a dad," he said, reciting a line from a father's day card I got for my dad last year. The man can't even come up with his own cheesy lines.

I was fuming at this point. The baby kicked a few times, momentarily distracting me. "I guess our Little Babe doesn't like us fighting," said Ranger, patting the seat next to him. "Please sit."

I did sit but not next to him. I went and sat down on the couch against the opposite wall. He scooted to the edge of his couch so that we were closer. "Steph, let's talk about this," I looked around randomly to avoid his gaze. "I meant what I said. I've never felt the way I feel about you with anyone before. I –"

I cut him off again. "I know. You love me," I added, "In your own way."

Emotion flashed through his eyes. The only problem was that I couldn't tell what emotion it was. I didn't even know he _could_ show emotion. But then, what did I really know about him at all?

"Do you even know what my own way is?" he asked. His tone of voice was still calm and collected, but his body language suggested he was annoyed.

I shook my head. "You've all ready made it clear that you don't want a relationship."

He ran a hand through his thick hair, once again making it stand up. "I told you, I was trying to protect you."

"I don't need protecting, Ranger. Not from you."

"I never meant for you to take it the way you did when I first told you I loved you. I meant it then and I mean it now," he entwined our fingers. I was too tired to fight back or pull away, not that I would have been able to. "I just can't give you what you want."

"And how do you know what I want?" I cried. He brushed the tears away, got up off of his couch, sat down next to me on mine, and wrapped his strong arms around me. "I don't even know what I want anymore." I buried my face in his shoulder and relaxed ever so slightly as he began to rub my back. But I was still mad at him.

He rested his chin on top of my head. "You need someone who can be there for you, who can encourage you, who can hold you when you cry, someone who can protect you from danger."

I sniffled, trying not to get snot on his shirt. "You already do those things, and more. You always drop what ever it is you're doing to come and help me when I need it. I don't even ask if you're busy. You always encourage me to be the best that I can be, even when everyone else thinks I'm a failure, and you always protect me. Remember Scrog?" I wailed, trying to draw strength from him. "And don't even try and deny that you don't comfort me when I'm upset," I whispered.

He was silent for a moment; I hoped he was taking in what I had said. "You deserve so much more, Steph. I can't give you that."

"I don't care!" I insisted, grabbing the back of his shirt. "I'll take whatever you can give for as long as I can have it. As long as I'm with you I'm happy."

"Do you really mean that, Babe?" his tone was soft and soothing. I nodded, closing my eyes – not that he could see me from the position we were in. "Are you sure you won't get hurt if it doesn't work out?"

Wait a minute. I couldn't believe that he was actually considering it. Whatever _it_ was.

"Of course I'd be hurt, I love you. But I'd feel worse if we carried on the way we're going. I can't handle the casual relationship anymore."

He brought my face up to look at him. I imagine it was all red and blotchy from crying and couldn't have been my most attractive look. "I can't guarantee that this will work out. But for now, let's give it a shot," then he kissed me.

Before I had a chance to loose myself in the kiss I pulled back. "Wait a second, try what?"

"A relationship."

I felt my heart hammering in my chest so hard that I could hardly hear myself think. "B-but," I stammered pathetically. "You said you don't do relationships."

He leaned back against the sofa cushion, bringing me with him so that we were in a more slightly more comfortable position. Physically anyway.

"Steph, while I was away I had a lot of time to think. Not a single day went by that I didn't think of you, of what you were doing or what you were wearing. Before I left, Tank told me to get my head out of my ass and confess how I felt about you. I told him to piss off, but now I realise that he was right and that I should have told you earlier. I really didn't mean to hurt you. Quite the opposite actually."

I looked into his eyes and saw for the first time the love that had always been there in them. It had just taken me a while to figure out what it was. "You really mean it?" I asked.

He leaned closer and placed a gentle, tender kiss on my lips. "Of course. But you have to know that one day I may leave and not come back."

"I know," I whispered.

"Just so you know, I spoke to my lawyer yesterday, if anything ever were to happen to me you'd receive a steady stream of income and child support."

"But nothing is going to happen to you," I said more to myself than him. "If…if it doesn't work out between us, promise me we'll still be friends."

"Promise, Babe," he kissed me again and I felt myself begin to drift away. "How about we take things one day at a time and re-evaluate the situation after the baby's born?"

I nodded in agreement. That sounded like a sensible idea. "I love you," I whispered before my eyes gave up and I fell asleep.

OoO

I woke up next morning when I felt the covers being ripped off the bed. I groaned, rolled over and brought my legs up to my chest. Well, as far as I could with my huge stomach in the way. I felt the bed dip beside me and then felt Ranger playing with the curls in my hair.

"Time to wake up, Babe," he said, kissing my forehead. I groaned again and pulled myself closer to him, breathing in the Bulgari. He chuckled. "Come on, if you don't start getting ready now we're going to be late."

"Late for what?" I asked.

"Late for your doctors appointment, Steph."

I cracked open one eye. "Shit, I forgot."

I sat up and ran a hand through my scary morning hair. Today would be the first day Ranger would see the baby (other than the photos I had left him). "Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" the more the pregnancy progressed, the more I found myself wanting to know if we were going to have a son or a daughter. I'd be happy with either, as long as it was healthy, but something told me raising a mini-me would be easier than raising a mini-Ranger.

He thought about it for a moment. "It would make things easier."

I gave a slight nod and leant back against the headboard looking at him seriously. "Did you really mean what you said yesterday?"

"Every single word," he said, leaning in to kiss me. I threaded my hand through his hair to hold him against me.

"As much as I would love to continue this, you really have to get up if you want to eat before we go."

I sighed over dramatically and went into the bathroom to take a bath in the Jacuzzi.

I leaned back in the warm water and let out a sigh of content. I brushed my thumb across my lips, remembering the feel of Ranger's on mine. I thought it had all been a dream, like in the hospital. I thought he'd ask me what I was on about when I asked him if he had meant what he said. But he didn't. For the first time in months I felt truly happy.

I quickly got dressed, tied my hair back and applied a bit of make-up. I was so excited about finding out the sex of our baby; it had to be the first time I actually wanted to go to the hospital.

Ranger handed me a cup of tea as I waked into the kitchen and I quickly scarfed down a bowl of cereal, not even noticing that it was some of Ranger's rabbit food.

He shook his head – it was hard to tell if it was from disbelief or amusement, probably it was mix of both – and grabbed his car keys, taking one off of the ring and handing it to me. "What's this?" I asked, looking at the gold key in my palm.

He smiled. "The key to my heart, Babe. I'll give you the codes later."

Oh, I got it. The key to his house. Although, when I thought about it, his house was like his heart. He didn't always like people knowing it was there, it was big and it's full of things I never knew about him.

OoO

"Gah, that's cold!"

Ranger chuckled and entwined our fingers. "Babe, you been shot, fallen two storeys, been attacked by gangs and your flinching at cold gel?" he teased.

Dr Costello moved the electronic device of my bulging stomach and studied the screen carefully. "Hmm," she said.

"What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"Nothing, don't worry," she said, moving the device again. "I'm just trying to see if it's a boy or a girl. Its leg is in the way."

Ranger gave the side of my stomach a poke and smiled as the baby moved. I gave him a questioning look. Shrugging, he said, "I went with Rachel to the hospital when she was pregnant with Julie a few times."

Dr Costello grinned. "Aww, look, he's sucking his thumb."

"He?" I said excitedly.

The doctor nodded. "Congratulations, it's a boy."

A ­­­­­­boy? I couldn't believe it. I was going to have a baby boy. Ranger and I were going to have a baby boy! "We're gonna have a son," I mumbled. I couldn't wait to tell my parents, and my friends and everyone else I knew. At last I'd be able to give my parents something Valerie never did, a grandson.

Ranger gave my hand a squeeze and pressed his forehead against mine, the smile on his face growing, becoming stronger than two hundred watts.

I felt his lips brush over mine. It was a gentle kiss, but it said everything that needed to be said.

I watched the screen above me in fascination. _He_ looked so cute sucking his thumb, even if he was just a grey blob on a screen. Hmm, I wonder if Ranger was a thumb sucker?

OoO

As May ended and became June and June became July, my stomach kept growing until I thought I might explode if it possible became any larger. There was only a month until the baby was born and I couldn't wait. I stood in front of a mirror and examined myself from different angles.

"Relax, Babe," said Ranger, watching me intently. "You look fine."

Damn him and his ESP. "Only fine?" I asked.

He wrapped his arms around my stomach. "Better than fine. You look like the woman I fell in love with. You could be nine months pregnant with triplets and you'd still look great," he kissed the corner of my mouth and playfully tugged on one of my curls. "That is, as long as they were my triplets."

I smiled.

Last week he and the Merry Men had finished doing up the nursery, which used to be Ranger's spare office. They had painted it baby blue – obviously – and had brought a crib which they had spray painted in army colours (I shuddered at the thought of what they'd try to teach my son once he could walk). I may have still been look for a house of my own, but we thought the baby should have it's own room for when he stays with his dad.

Ranger's phone began to vibrate against the back of my leg in his pocket and he excused himself to answer it. I waited for a few minutes for him to return. After all, his conversations only last about two seconds with his two word answers – not even that long if it's a Merry Man on the other end.

I pulled the baby name book out of the draw and flipped through my favourite pages. The two of us had been through countless names for boys books, underlining and colour coding ones we liked, and then making a list of our favourite ones. We had about fifty all together, the top one on the list being Ricardo Carlos. However, it was only at the top because it was the first one I had thought of, Ranger didn't seem to like it that much. There were a number of things we had yet to discuss, like whose last name the baby was going to have, who the godparents were going to be and where the baby was going to live, as I was still house hunting – as much as I loved Ranger, I didn't think it would be good for us to live together twenty-four seven, at least for now. Like he said, we were taking it one day at a time.

I had been attending birthing classes with Ranger and Mary Lou, (who was also expecting another child after her youngest stabbed holes in her and Lenny's condoms – what's he doing knowing about condoms at that age anyway? – because he wanted a baby brother or sister. Needless to say, Mary Lou was not impressed. Her son was practically responsible for knocking her up) who had come to offer me support and assurance.

I was feeling nervous about the birth, but anxious to get the kid out of me. I was getting tired of looking like I had swallowed a watermelon whole.

"Deep thoughts, Babe?" said Ranger from the doorway.

I threw the book of names at him, which he dodged without a problem. "We need to chose a name," I said.

"Babe, we've been trying to chose a name for weeks," he took the favourite list off the table. He shook his head when he saw that I had added Matthew, Zachary and Antonio to it. "There's practically a whole book here."

I gave him a typical 'Burg eye roll. "OK, how about we chose a name after the baby's born?"

He nodded. "Good idea, we'll stick to Baby No Name for now," he said as I yawned. "Get some rest, Steph, we'll figure everything out later."

I spent the next few days sleeping, eating, going to the bathroom, sleeping and eating. Maybe being pregnant had a few good points after all. I walked to my calendar and put another red X through Tuesday. I'd been counting down until my due date, and it was getting really close.

I strolled into the bathroom and took care of business for the third time that night. I checked my reflection in the mirror and stood there changing my expression slightly every now and then. I didn't even notice Ranger behind me.

"What are you doing?" he asked, wrapping his arms around me and tracing patterns on my stomach.

"Nothing," I said quickly, a bit too quickly.

He smiled. "You were practising your mom look. Weren't you?"

I shook my head and denied it of course. Even though he was right. His body shook as he chuckled silently and kissed my neck. I rested my head against his shoulder, giving him more room to love. He kissed his way down my throat and bit my pulse point, which would probably leave a mark. I moaned and felt him growl deep in his chest. A part of me was telling me that it was all to good to be true. I quickly told that part of me to shut up.

Ranger turned me around and crushed my lips against his in a passionate kiss. I automatically opened my lips and felt his tongue slide over mine. We battled for control as I fisted my hands through his silky hair and deepened the kiss further.

He scooped me up off my feet and carried me into my room. Placing me on the bed he sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around me, kissing me again.

OoO

I only had ten days until my due date and I was bored. It was raining outside and Ranger had put me on maternity leave at RangeMan long ago. I walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, sighing when I saw that there was no peanut butter left.

"Ranger," I called, hoping he would hear me from his office. "I'm going to the store to get more peanut butter. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Be careful," I heard him say.

I rolled my eyes 'Burg style. He was way to over protective. I picked up the keys to the Porsche and left the house. I knew I shouldn't really be driving, but the store was only down the road.

I pulled into the parking lot and looked through the window. It was late, the store was empty, apart from the guy behind the register. I got out of the car and walked through the automatic doors, picking up a jar of smooth peanut butter from the third isle and then went to the front desk to pay.

The doors slid open and a man wearing a hooded jumper and a mask came running into the store waving a gun around.

Shit!

_TBC_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, you guys rock! _

I dropped the jar of peanut butter and froze, my eyes trained on the gun in the guy's hand. My arms instantly went to my stomach to shield the baby from harm. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the man behind the register slowly slip his hand under the counter. I prayed it was to press the red button that calls the cops like the ones they always have on TV.

"This is a hold up," Gun Guy said.

A hold up? That has got to be the worst line in history. I looked up and saw carrot red hair from under the guy's hood. My eyes widened as recognition hit me. It was Gary Collins, the skip I had that I had thrown up on months ago when I went skip chasing with Lula. The one that got arrested for holding up a convenience store and went FTA. I remembered Lester telling me he had returned to Trenton after Ranger was released from the hospital.

"Against the wall, both of you!"

I was frozen on the spot, my feet refusing to obey my brain; the man behind the register took me by the arm and pulled me to the wall with him. This had to the one of the stupidest situations I'd gotten myself into in months. It proved that it isn't my job that gets me into trouble, it is just me in general. I was being held at gunpoint in a convenience store in the middle of the night whilst trying to buy peanut butter by a kid with carrot red hair and acne. But that was just it, he had a gun, and it was aimed at me, or worse yet, my stomach.

Ranger would come. When he realised I hadn't returned he'd come and help me. Help us. I didn't want Collins to get away; I had to find someway of stalling him until the cops arrived without putting the baby or myself at further risk. I didn't think he'd actually shoot me, but it wasn't worth the risk.

"Hey, I remember you," he said, lowering the gun slightly and heading towards the cash register. He opened it and emptied the contents into a brown bag. "You're that bitch that threw up on me," his cold, empty eyes moved to my huge stomach. "Oh," I could hear the evil smile in his voice. "That's why."

My arms formed a protective cocoon around the baby. I could feel him kick, like he knew he was in danger…like he was aware of his surroundings.

Collins cast a quick glance outside and then back at me. "You put me in jail."

I shook my head. "You put yourself in jail," great idea, Steph. Argue with the guy with the gun. I couldn't help it, fighting back was a natural response for me.

"You were the one that got me arrested. You and that fat black bitch," he spat. I felt anger rise in me. "Do you have any idea what jail is like? They put you in filthy clothes, give you slop and crap to eat, and the cops sit around all day, just waiting to watch you go to the bathroom."

I heard the wail of sirens in the distance. He must have heard them to as he ran to the side of the door with his gun raised to avoid being seen. He had clearly watched way to many bad cop movies. The sirens got louder. I exchanged looks with the register man and then looked around for something I could defend myself with. The only obvious thing was the broken glass from the jar I had dropped, but it was small and too far away for me to reach.

I took deep breaths to try and calm myself down and stop myself from having a panic attack. "You called the cops," Collins was looking like he was starting to panic. He wasn't the only one. "Don't move, or I put a bullet through your stomach."

I paled and resisted the urge to throw up again. If anything happened to the baby I would never forgive myself, so I didn't move a muscle and waited for the cops to arrive. I felt like I had been in the store for hours, but probably it was only a few minutes.

Seconds later I heard Joe's voice. "Come out with your hands up!"

I mentally sighed. I guess they have to say these things, even though they know they won't work. Panic flashed in Collins' eyes from underneath the mask he was wearing. Mine probably looked the same. I resisted the urge to look up and ask, Why me? Just because I was going to become a mother didn't mean I had to turn into _my_ mother. Oh God, what was she going to say when she heard about this. Lily Martinez's daughter doesn't get held at gunpoint in convenience stores, so why did Ellen Plum's daughter have to?

"I have hostages. You try to come in, I'll kill them," he called out through the glass doors. "The pregnant bitch dies first."

"Stephanie!"

I felt a wave of relief rush through me at hearing Ranger's voice. "We're OK," I called back, my voice sounded shaky.

I imagined the scene outside. Cops and Merry Men with guns drawn waiting to move in. Paramedics and fire trucks because since I was involved people automatically expected something to blow up or catch fire. That was what I was hoping for anyway.

The register man's name tag read Brian. He looked at Gary. "Please, put the gun down. We can talk about this," he took a step forward and Collins fired a shot. Everything seemed to go in slow motion and I wrapped my arms tighter around my stomach, trying to do anything to protect my unborn son. The bullet hit me in the arm and I cried out in pain. I stared at him in shock, afraid to even breathe. My arm was throbbing and dark red blood dripped through my shirt and onto the ground.

"Cupcake!"

"I'm OK," my eyes looked over at Brian. I used my hand to cover the fresh wound and try to stop the bleeding. Our eyes met and I gave him a small nod, letting him know that I was all right. I just prayed the baby was.

"Is there a first aid kit here?" I asked softly, trying to keep the tears in check. Brian pointed towards the desk.

He looked at Collins, who shook his head. "If she or her baby dies you could be put in jail for life," he said, leaving out the fact it was just a flesh wound and my life probably wasn't in any immediate danger. "It's just behind the desk."

Collins eventually said, "Hurry."

Brian dashed to get the kit, obviously looking for a weapon as he went. I guessed there was nothing at the desk, not even a penknife or a bottle of alcohol he could throw, as all he came back with was a green case. What ever happened to the huge, loaded shotgun that's always under the counter in the movies?

The first aid kit had nothing we could use either, so I let Brian wrap a bandage around my arm and gave him a small smile. I looked up at Collins, who was looking out the window, trying to hide from the cops, even though they obviously knew he was there. "If anything happens to my son," I spat at him, my voice cold and hard. "I'll kill you," or worse, I'd set Ranger on him.

I winced as a stabbing pain shot through my stomach. My heart started to pound harder in my chest than it already was and I tried to tell myself it was just nerves or fear. I mean, I still had ten days until was the baby was due, it was too early. I took another deep breath and willed myself to calm down. I heard yelling and I guessed Morelli and Ranger were barking orders at their men and Collins, but I didn't take anything in. Oh God, why do these things always happen to me? What had I done to deserve this. What had my son done to deserve this?

A few more minutes went by and another sharp pain stabbed my abdomen. I sunk to the floor, hoping I didn't let on. The last thing I needed was Collins knowing I was in pain. I hoped Ranger got in before it was too late.

Hold on sweetie, I thought, looking at my stomach. Please hold on, just a little longer.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I said once the pain had momentarily subsided.

Brian nodded. "It's at the back."

Collins cast a glance in the direction and kept his eyes on me, nodding slightly. I got off of the floor and shuffled over to the door. He had the gun trained on me as I walked, ready to kill us if I tired anything, which I wouldn't, I could hardly walk my legs were shaking so badly. There was no window, only a toilet, a sink and a mirror, things you'd expect to find in a bathroom. I didn't really need to use the bathroom; I just had to get away for as long as I could. I couldn't believe I could possibly have to deliver my baby boy here of all places. I wanted to give birth in the hospital, I wanted an epidural, I wanted a doctor, and I wanted Ranger.

Tears were falling down my cheeks, and not from the contractions. My son didn't deserve to be born into this, it wasn't fair, he was only a baby, and it wasn't his fault his mother was a complete idiot and forgot her gun. Again. I swore that when this was all over I would take my gun wherever I went. I looked at the white bandaged around my arm that hurt like a bitch. Blood was seeping through slowly and I wondered what the risk of infection was.

Then it hit me as another contraction ripped through my body. I was going to be a mommy! Oh my God, after six and a half months of knowing that I was carrying another life it had finally hit me that I was going to have a baby. Someone who was completely dependent on me for his survival – who had been for the last nine months. And I wasn't about to let him down now, when he needed me the most.

I took another deep breath and wiped the tears from my eyes. I had a quick look for a weapon but found nothing of use; there wasn't even a bar of soap or anything to break the mirror with. My bag was sitting in the car, although all that was in it was gum, hair spray, and a hair brush, nothing I could cause any real harm with. I reached under my shirt and palmed the silver heart shaped locket that I always wore, hoping to draw strength from it.

There was more yelling and I chose that moment to exit the bathroom. Another contraction hit and I realised that they were way to close together. I had to get to a hospital and fast. I tried to remember what they had said at those birthing classes I had attended, but my mind went blank. When this was over I wasn't going to eat peanut butter ever again. Well, maybe.

I ducked behind a shelf and looked at the scene in front of me. I registered Joe and Ranger's voices, but my heart was beating so hard I couldn't hear what they were saying. Gary Collins was obviously losing his cool and control of the situation. He had taken the mask off, beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.

I crouched down and picked up the biggest glass bottle I could find without Collins seeing me. I only had minutes until the next contraction painfully hit, so I moved between the small isles, trying to be as quite as I could. I could see blue and red light flashing from the cop cars and could feel the baby kicking. It was the strangest feeling. Being kicked from the inside, but I loved it. I loved _him_ and I wasn't about to bring him into my mess. He deserved so much better.

In a way I guessed I was lucky. Most women often spend hours in labour with their first child. With the contractions as close together as they were now, I didn't think it would be too long before the baby made his appearance and entered the world. I just hoped Ranger would be there when he did.

Brian must have obviously seen me as he called Collins name, momentarily distracting him as I got as close to him as I dared. My hands were shaking; his gun was aimed between Brian's eyes and I took the chance to hit him over his head with the bottle as hard as I could. Lots of things than happened all at once. The bottle came into contact with Collins, he fired the gun, glass flew everywhere, and then he passed out, bleeding on the floor. Another searing pain stabbed through me and I collapsed onto my knees, clutching my stomach. I was almost afraid to look at Brian, but the bullet had hit his shoulder, he had lost his colour, but gave me a thumbs up and called out for the cops. There was more yelling and Ranger ran through the doors, gun raised. He took one look at my expression; dropped onto one knee, tossed his weapon aside and cupped my face in his hands.

"Babe," he breathed and kissed my hair.

I buried my head in his neck and wrapped an arm around his neck, never wanting to let go again.

"Steph," said Morelli, his gun trained on Collins still body and I was kind of hoping he would shoot him. Except cops hardly ever shoot anyone in real life.

"Go and help Brian," I said, looking at him slumped against the wall.

Joe nodded, obviously trusting Ranger to look after me and lead the paramedics in to help the man who had put his life on the line for the baby's and mine.

I looked back to Ranger, his dark brown eyes filled with concern and worry. "I have to get to the hospital," I cried, salty tears falling from my eyes. "The baby's coming."

I cried out in pain and gripped the front of his shirt as another contraction hit me in full force. He pulled me close to him and rubbed my back. "Breath Babe, I've got you," he whispered, stroking my hair. "I've got you."

Once the pain had subsided he scooped me up off of the floor and carried me towards the ambulance. I vaguely registered Lester, Bobby and Tank dragging an unconscious Gary Collins towards an SUV, obvious not caring if his head hit the rocks on the ground. He deserved it for the pain he had caused.

The ride to the hospital was a blur. I remember being asked questions, having various exams performed and explaining what had happened. Ranger stayed by my side, never once letting go of my hand. A medic worked on the wound on my arm, cleaning it and applying a fresh bandage.

"Is the baby going to be alright?" I whispered, my voice filled with panic.

One of hospital staff answered. "The baby's going to be fine, Ms Plum. Just try to relax."

Easy for you to say, I thought. Ranger squeezed my hand and kissed my sweaty forehead. "We're almost there."

He looked into my eyes and I could see the fear in them. I wondered if he was there for Julie's birth. I couldn't remember if I had ever asked. "Babe, I am so sorry."

But he didn't get any further than that as I cried out in pain as another contraction hit. I dug my nails into Ranger's hand, my knuckles turning white. He didn't even flinch, which was good, because if this kept up I'd break his hand. But it was his fault I was pregnant in the first place. It was his fault I was in pain and it was his fault I probably wouldn't get my epidural. He could have gone to get me peanut butter himself, but he had let me go by myself. The Merry Men don't call me Bombshell for nothing, he should have known that something was going to go wrong.

I felt it get very wet down there and liquid drip down my legs. "...I think my water just broke."

_TBC_


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: This was going to be the last chapter, but since thirteen is an unlucky number, I decided to write another one. I'll have it posted in two or three days. Besides, there are still loose ends that need to be tied up. Don't know why I decided to post this early, but I thought, what the hell? Let me know what you think!_

"Push!"

"I can't!" I screamed.

"PUSH!"

"Your almost there, Babe," Ranger whispered in my ear, pressing a kiss to my sweaty curls that were plastered to my face. "One more."

I cried out in pain and pushed one last time with everything I had. I knew that giving birth was painful. Valerie, my mom and Mary Lou had told me enough times of the pain and suffering they went through – and they had assured me that it was all worth it when you got to hold your baby in your arms for the first time – but I had no idea it was _this_ painful. Every bone in my body ached and my arm throbbed from the bullet wound, but that was really the least of my worries.

We made it to St Francis hospital where my doctor greeted me. The contractions were like nothing I had ever felt, and everyone got worse and worse. An hour later I was convinced I had broken Ranger's (who had never once left my side) hand as I heard something snap loudly. I was told I was fully dilated and to start pushing. That was an hour ago.

I was exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into my nice warm bed, sleep for days and when I woke up I would realise that the whole thing was just a horrid nightmare and that the baby was safe and perfectly happy in my stomach for another ten or more days. I wanted doughnuts and coffee, but more than anything; I wanted this baby out of me!

Tears rolled down my cheeks at the unfairness of the situation. It was all Gary Collins fault, I hope he rotted in jail. I cursed him, I cursed Ranger for getting me pregnant and I cursed everyone else I knew as I screamed in pain one last time.

A cry filled the room. It was the most amazing sound I had ever heard. The kid certainly had a set of lungs on him and I had no doubt that they would be keeping me up at night. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him. He had a full head of dark hair that curled at the ends. His skin tone was somewhere between Ranger's and mine, maybe mocha latte with extra milk. He had a button nose, soft pink lips and long eyelashes. He was defiantly his father's son. Except for his eyes. His eyes were a piercing dark blue, same as mine. They would probably change as he got older, but I hoped they wouldn't. I felt beads of sweat drip down my forehead. I knew he was going to be a heart breaker when he grew to be a teen.

Wait a minute, I thought to myself, he's only just been born and I'm already thinking about him as a teenager?

"God, Babe," whispered Ranger, running a thumb over my knuckles, his eye never leaving the baby. Our son. A nurse asked if he wanted to cut the cord. He looked at me and I nodded, anything that would mean being able to sleep.

The last words I heard before passing out were from one of the doctors, "Congratulations, it's a boy."

I woke up in Ranger's strong, warm arms. I blinked a few times to focus my vision and relaxed into him. I looked around and found myself in a white room. I thought back and tried to remember how I got here. Peanut butter, getting shot, Gary Collins…Oh my God, the baby!

"Shh, it's OK," Ranger whispered as I tensed in his arms. "The baby's fine."

I sat up and felt myself start to panic. I had gotten so used to having the baby kick and move inside of my stomach that it felt like a part of me was missing. And it was in a way. "Where is he?" I demanded. "Is he OK?"

Ranger sat up and wrapped an arm across my neck. He pulled me against his chest and kissed the top of my head. "Relax, Babe, he alright. Perfectly healthy. The doctors are feeding him, I'll get him in a minute," he kissed the corner of my mouth and smiled all two hundred watts. "He's perfect, Steph. He's got my hair with your curls and your beautiful eyes. He's already charmed all the nurses," I felt him chuckle and started to relax again.

He shifted positions so that he was on his knees and looking at me, his dark eyes filled with emotion. He cupped my face with his hands and rested his forehead against mine. "You did great. You were fantastic. How are you feeling?"

I covered his hand with mine. "Tired, and slightly empty if you know what I mean."

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

I shrugged. "A little, but I'm fine," it was lie, but he didn't have to know that.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's the middle of the night," he looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up kissing me.

When he pulled back he smiled and got off of the bed. I watched as he left the room and then rested my head against the pillows. They smelt of Bulgari and Ranger. I put a hand on my stomach, it felt odd being back to something that resembled my usual size.

He returned a few moments later with a small bundle wrapped in a light blue blanket. He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a thumb across his son's cheek. The slight almost brought tears to my eyes. Ranger handed me our baby and produced a bottle full of milk formula out of nowhere.

"Hey there little guy," I whispered as his blue eyes met mine. He really was gorgeous, just like his father. I watched as he sucked happily at the bottle; he had obviously inherited my appetite. I looked at him for what could have been hours and realised that Mary Lou and the others had been right. After all the morning sickness, the mood swings, the backaches and the agonisingly painful birth, the end result had totally been worth it. I couldn't believe that I was a mother.

Ranger brushed some tears off of my cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

I shrugged. "I'm just happy. He's perfect."

He leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "Just like his mommy."

I blushed. I was far from perfect, but I'd let him think that if he wanted to. The baby yawned and began to drift off to sleep. Ranger chuckled. "He's just like you, eats and sleeps."

I playfully hit him in the arm. "We still have to name him."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and smiled as the baby wrapped his hand around my finger. God, he was so small. It scared me to think that I was once that small. It scared me even more to think that _Ranger_ had once been that small. He was big _everywhere._ "You're the one who's been taking care of him for nine months, you're the one who worked so hard to bring him into the world. It's only fair that you should be the one to chose the name."

I thought about it for a few seconds and then smiled at him. "I know what I want to call him."

He sighed, obviously doing the ESP thing. "Go on then."

"Ricardo Carlos – Ricky for shot…Plum or Manoso?" I asked, my eyes never leaving the baby – Ricky.

"Child support would be easier if anything were ever to happen to me if he had my name," he said, reaching over to stoke his son's hair. For someone who said he didn't do pregnancy or kids, he sure was happy. Me? I was ecstatic.

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso then?" I added with a smile, "The fifth?"

He gave a nod. "Sounds good."

I felt Ranger take Ricky out of my arms and felt myself begin to drift off. Until I remembered about my mother. "Oh God, you did tell my parents, didn't you?" I demanded, instantly awake again. She'd ban me from cake for life if I didn't tell her.

He smiled all two hundred watts again. "Even if I didn't it would have been all through the 'Burg in a matter of minutes."

I sighed and leant back against the pillows. My eyelids were getting heavier by the second. "Sleep, Babe. Everything's fine, we'll talk in the morning." Ranger kissed my forehead softly and I welcomed sleep.

Wait, what did he want to talk about?

OoO

Ricky was happily sucking away at my nipple and I watched Ranger's eyes darken. He flashed me a wolf grin and his eyes moved to my chest. "Can I have the other one?"

I narrowed my eyes at him but ended up giggling. I was tempted to say yes, but a knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Ricky had let go of my breast and was looking around the room. Hmm, looks like he inherited my curiosity as well.

"Stephanie," said my mother as she, Grandma Mazur and dad all walked into the room. "Finally, I thought we were never going to be allowed to see you."

"Yeah," said Grandma. "That Ranger's got two big men in black posted at your door. I got to pinch one of their asses as I walked in. Got buns of steel."

I heard my dad mumble something along the lines of 'crazy old bat'. I smiled and wondered which of the Merry Men Grandma had attacked.

Mom looked at the baby in my arms and her expression softened. "Does he have a name?"

I nodded. "Ricardo Carlos Manoso, after his daddy. Sorry, you're left with Vinnie to carry on the Plum name, Dad," who I hoped would never reproduce. Vinnie, I mean. "Do you want to hold him?"

She nodded and I handed Ricky over to her. Grandma Mazur smiled. "I wonder whether or not he got his father's excellent package? He'll be a flirt when he's older, you'll have your hands full with this one."

I mentally groaned. I was still getting my head around the fact that he was actually real. I wonder if that's how mom felt when she gave birth to Valerie, but decided it best not to ask, so I went with, "Where is Ranger?"

"Probably holding off the crowed outside," said dad, looking nervously at the door.

"Huh?"

"Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, Val, Kloughn and the kids, and Joe Morelli," Grandma smiled at me. I pictured Lula in neon pink spandex, hands on her hips in full rhino mode demanding to be let in. As much as I wanted to ask her to be the godmother of Ricky, would I really trust her to look after him in the event that anything ever happened to me? Probably not. Not that I thought she'd say yes anyway, I've seen her baby sitting skills. Or lack of.

Ricky was passed around from person to person. Half an hour later Lula had finally managed to get passed the Merry Men and into my room. After that it was a free for all. Connie, Mary Lou, Lula and the men all cooed over the baby and Morelli apologised a hundred times for what had happened in the convenience store. He said that Gary Collins had earned himself a one way ticket to the slammer. He also said that when he arrived at the station he had three broken ribs, a broken nose and a concussion. I made a mental note to thank Bobby, Lester and Tank for their efforts. I received flowers, baby clothes, soft toys for Ricky and hugs and kisses all round. Finally, Ranger shooed everyone out of the room and I got Ricky back from Lester. I thanked everyone and promised to call them as soon as I got out from the hospital.

The baby was sleeping soundly after all of the attention he had received. Ranger chuckled beside me. "Looks like we'll never be short of baby sitters," he said, taking Ricky from my arms and smiling down at him. Aw, father son bonding, how cute.

"So, when can I go home?" I asked, tired of sitting in a hospital bed.

"After lunch, if your good."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'll behave."

True to his word we returned home later that day, after I had forced down some hospital food and said goodbye to Ranger's parents, who dropped by to see their newest grandson. I thanked all of the nurses and doctors for all of their help and support and scheduled a follow up appointment. I was banned from sex for a few weeks and was encouraged to breast feed Ricky for as long as I could. I sat in the back of Ranger's Porsche with the baby, his small hand wrapped around my finger. I looked out of the window and watched everything go by, lost in thought. Before I knew it we were back at his house.

He unlocked the front door and I stepped inside. Somehow the house felt different, I felt slightly uncomfortable. Ranger of course picked up on my unease. "Something on your mind, Babe."

I shook it off and tried to change the subject. "I'm fine. You?"

He paused and then opened his mouth to say something, but ended up pulling me into a hug, being careful of little Ricky in my arms. "I'm sorry, Babe."

I looked up at him in confusion. "What for?"

He looked at me for a few seconds and I began to fidget on the spot. "Steph, you were held at gun point by a kid in a convenience store, got shot in the arm and almost ended up giving birth behind the counter ten days before your due date."

"Ranger," I said, putting Ricky in his baby chair and leaning into him. "None of that it your fault. There was no way you could have prevented it."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had decided to keep it short, knowing how much I loved running my hands through it. He entwined our fingers and looked me in the eye. "I could have gone out instead of you," he looked away. "Do you remember that conversation we had a few months ago. After we went house hunting?" I nodded. "Well this is what I mean. I put you into danger."

"This would have happened regardless of whether or not we were together. It's not your fault," I tried to persuade him. The thought of losing him was more painful than giving birth to Ricky had been.

"It is. It's my fault you got pregnant in the first place. If I kept my distance from you, you never would have gotten hurt."

"It's too late to play the 'what if' game, Ranger," I said. I know I blamed him when I was in labour, but that never counts. "And does that mean that you don't want Ricky?"

"Of course not," he looked at his son and I saw the corners of his mouth tip up, but only for a second. "But I said we'd have to re-evaluate the situation after he was born."

My eyes watered at his words. "You want to break up with me?"

He pulled me closer to him and whispered into my hair, "No, God no. I just think it would be in your best interests for us to…" he couldn't even say it.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and shook me head. "I love you. Do you love me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then please," I said. "Where would I live anyway? I sold my apartment months ago."

I felt him tense slightly. "Baby, I wasn't entirely honest when I said that there weren't any other house on the market at that time."

"What?" I asked, my hands rested on his hips. "Why did you do that?"

He waited for a moment. "Because I didn't want you to live anywhere else. I wanted you close to me. I want you both close to me, you make this place feel like home instead of a place where I sleep occasionally," he looked over at Ricky and then back at me. "I need to know that you're both safe."

"I promise I'll learn how to defend myself. I'll learn how to use my gun and learn self defence," I swallowed hard. "Just please, Ricky needs a father, don't leave us. Stay with me."

He stayed quite for what felt like hours, but was probably only a few seconds. "Only if you stay with me."

I smiled so hard it hurt. I remembered him once saying that the Batcave was forever. He nodded. "Forever," he ESPed.

A small cry distracted me, as I was just about to kiss him. I laughed and looked over at my son. I glanced at my watch and realised that he was probably hungry. I ran my hands down Ranger's chest before turning around and picking Ricky up, brushing some stray tears away. I was amazed at how light he was. Ranger reached into his front pocket and pulled out a small gold chain with a gold coin attached to it.

He undid the clip and reattached it around his son's neck. It read _Ricardo Carlos_ and then something in Spanish. "What's it say?" I asked him.

"It means powerful and manly," he said, pressing a kiss to his son's dark hair. His name suited him. He took Ricky from my arms and smiled, causing my heart to flutter. "You look tired, why don't you go and get some rest? I'll take care of him for a while."

I wanted to protest, but ended up yawning. He gave me a look and I sighed before turning around. "Thank you."

"For what?"

I smiled. "Everything," and I left him to bond with his new son.

_A/N: As far as I know, Ricardo Carlos does mean powerful and manly, but every website says something different. Thank you for reading!_


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Well, here's the last chapter, I hope it's a satisfying end, it's told from Ranger's POV btw. If I didn't reply to all the reviews, know that I appreciate them all. Thanks to all who have read and commented on this story, it means a lot. Enjoy._

I brushed a curl out of his face and smiled. He really was perfect. He had skin a few shades lighter than mine, my hair with Steph's wild curls at the ends, and Steph's amazing electric blue eyes. I put him in his crib and pulled the blanket over him. At first, I didn't like the thought of being a father again. I had gone through it all with Julie and wasn't in a hurry to do it again. But I couldn't abandon my Babe when she needed me the most. It was my fault she got pregnant in the first place; she didn't ask for it, if I had just kept my distance from her, like I had been, everything would be normal. But it had only taken one time, and it had been one of the best nights of my life.

As Steph got closer and closer to her due date I found myself become more and more attached to little Ricky. Steph and I agreed to try a relationship together, and four months later here we are.

I knelt down in front of her and kissed her forehead. She was sleeping soundly after being kept up for the past six nights with the baby. I insisted that it was my turn to feed him at two in the morning. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table, it was getting late, but I'd let her have a few more minutes' rest. We had a lot of work to do before three o'clock. We were throwing a party to celebrate the birth of our son, Steph's moving in with me, and hopefully, our engagement.

I walked over to the draws and opened the top one. Sitting under a shirt was a small, black velvet box that contained an engagement ring. It was a silver band with a diamond, a two sapphires next to it. Fearing that her curiosity would spoil the surprise, I slipped the box into my pocket and headed downstairs. Steph had gone shopping the day before and had returned with several bags of party food and decorations. Since she was moving in for good I decided to just get it over with and let her tell people where I live. She'd been able to keep it a secret during the pregnancy, but I'll probably be seeing a whole more of the girls from the office in the foreseeable future.

I started to cut up some strawberries and other fruit, arranging them in the shape of a heart, knowing she'd appreciate the simple gesture. I poured some chocolate sauce over them, poured her a glass of fresh orange juice and picked a rose from the back yard. I jogged up the stairs and into our room, where she was still splayed over the bed. God, she looked so beautiful. Three years ago if someone had told me that I'd in love with a woman from Trenton, have a son and planning on propose marriage to her, I'd have laughed in their face. Or shot them.

Now, I couldn't picture myself living any differently. I sat down on the edge of the bed and played with one of her wild morning curls. A smile appeared on her face. "Hey," she mumbled.

"Morning, Babe," I said. "Sleep well."

She rolled onto her back and stretched, her shirt riding up her stomach. "Very well. Thanks for taking care of the baby last night."

"You've been taking care of him every night for the last week. Now it's my turn," I said firmly, in a no nonsense tone. She nodded. "You stay here, I'll bring you breakfast."

Her eyes lit up at the thought of food. I shook my head and went back downstairs. Setting the velvet box on a plate and covering it with a lid, I picked up the tray and carried it to our room. She was lying on her side, facing the door, her dark hair sprayed over the pillow. "Smells good."

I smiled and swallowed hard. I couldn't believe how nervous I felt. I hadn't felt this way when I asked Rachel to marry me. But then, I had never loved Rachel. Not the way I loved Stephanie Plum. I had the rose in my mouth and set the try at the end of the bed, lifting the lid slowly, knowing that I could never go back to the life I once had after I did this. My life hadn't been the same since she'd come into it.

She looked at the small box and then up at me with wide eyes. I picked it up and got down on one knee, popping the lid open. Her eyes widened even more.

"Babe," I started, my eyes never leaving hers. "…You mean so much to me. There aren't enough words in any language to describe the way I feel about you right now, but I'm hoping these will do. I love you. I have from the moment I saw you in that diner all those years ago, I'm just sorry it took so long for me to realise it. Before I met you my life was dominated by work, I never took the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. But now I do, you brought colour into my world as well as a son. I love you Stephanie Plum, will you do the honour of becoming my wife?"

She was quiet for what felt like the longest time, staring down at me. Her eyes showed a mix of shock, affection and happiness. I saw them fill with tears. "Ranger…" she whispered. "God, that was beautiful. Of course I'll marry you!" she jumped off the bed and threw her arms around my neck, pushing me onto the floor and kissing me long and hard.

When we pulled apart for air, I took her left hand in mine and slid the ring onto her middle ring finger. She gasped when she got a proper look at it. "Ranger, this must of cost you a fortune," she exclaimed, stunned.

I pulled her in for another kiss, this one gentle and tender, yet the passion was still there. "Baby, your worth more than all the money in the world."

Her smile grew, her eyes beamed with joy as tears fell from them. "It's gorgeous," she breathed.

"It looks even better on your finger," I picked her hand up and kissed the ring.

"What happened to your 'no marriage' rule?"

I shrugged. "Out the window with the 'no relationship or kids' rule."

She laughed and lowered her lips to mine again. We stayed in bed for another hour, feeding bits of fruit to each other. We never once lost bodily contact and ended up making out like teenagers on our bed.

"I don't want to interrupt this," I said, trying to get my breath back. "But we have a party to organise."

She looked at the clock."Shit!" she jumped got off of me and ran to the bathroom. I heard the shower running and chuckled. Sitting up, I ran a hand through my hair. I'd decided to keep it short, knowing how much Steph loved running her fingers through it.

I walked over to Ricky's crib and gently stroked his cheek with my thumb. I smiled at the gold coin around his neck; it had been mine when I was his age.

I took a deep breath and pictured the ring on Stephanie's finger. I had no doubt in my mind that she'd say yes, but not in a million years did I imagine I'd be getting married again. And out of choice, not just because I felt guilty for ruining a woman's life. Rachel had had her whole life ahead of her, but now she stays at home and raises the children.

When three o'clock finally rolled round I had set out what Steph called 'party food'. I called it a heart attack waiting to happen, but this was her party, she'd been looking forward to it since we brought Ricky home from the hospital.

Bobby and Lester arrived first. They shared a typical inhabited-by-two-guys bachelor pad together, about a block away. We shook hands and slapped each other on the back before their shot attention spans got the best of them and they went to make faces at the baby. Poor kid. Tank had 'volunteered' to pick up Steph's friends. I could hear Lula and Connie scream all the way from the yard. I shook my head in amusement and went outside to greet them. Mary Lou was a little more graceful and instead of screaming, she just stood there with her mouth hanging open.

"Batman, this is the shit!" said Lula, bouncing into the kitchen and through the double doors to the back yard. "You live here?"

I gave a nod and embraced Tank in a manly hug. He just shook his head in amusement to the girls' reactions and went to grab a beer. When I returned to the yard to barbecue some steaks I found Steph looking worried and Bobby and Lester talking excitedly to her.

"And we'll have to get him his own little set of handcuffs," said Bobby, his sandy blonde hair falling over his eyes slightly.

"And a gun," said Lester. He caught the look I was sending him and quickly added, "That shoots water."

Steph nodded firmly but her response was cut off when her friends bounced over to her. She was wrapped in hugs and squeals from Lula and Connie; Mary Lou just stood there, her mouth still hanging open. She'd probably faint if she saw the house I have in Miami; this one is small compared to that.

Steph had taken the engagement ring off so that no one would know until we were ready to announce it. We had decided to ask her sister, Valerie, and Mary Lou to be Ricky's godmothers. My brother and, against my better judgement, Morelli, had already agreed to be the godfathers. I didn't want my son being raised by the cop, but Steph assured me that he'd always wanted kids and that as long as Ricky was hers, he'd love him. She can be damn stubborn sometimes and refused to let the subject drop, so I had reluctantly agreed.

"You alright, Babe?" I asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

She leaned into me and put a hand on my chest. "Thanks for doing this."

"What do you mean?"

"For throwing the party, for giving up the big secret of where you live."

I kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Anything for you."

Soon after, the rest of my men and my future (even though they didn't know it then) parents and grandmother-in-law arrived, baring a freshly made cake. Some sort of 'Burg tradition I guessed. I shook hands warmly with Frank Plum and greeted Ellen and Edna.

"This is quite a place you have here," said Frank. It had to be one of the first times I had ever heard him speak. He looked oddly out of place without a newspaper and a pot roast in front of him.

I thanked him and pulled him to one side, out of earshot of the guests. I lowered my voice slightly just in case. "I've asked Stephanie to marry me," I said. "And she said yes."

He smiled – a smile that was almost identical to that of his youngest daughter's. "Now I'm going to marry her whatever you say, but I was hoping I'd have your blessing."

"Of course you have it, _son_," he clasped my hand firmly in his. "Take care of her, your good for her, and she's good for you."

I smiled. "Thank you. Can I count on you not to tell anyone?"

He chuckled. "Or what? You'd kill me?" he joked.

I joined in with his laughter and shrugged. "Something like that."

Finally, after getting lost three times and forgetting the codes to open the front gates, Albert Kloughn, Steph's sister and their three kids arrived. Mary Alice galloped into the yard and struck a conversation with Mrs Mazur, who was checking all my men out, eyeing their asses. Angie tried to get Cal to talk and Kloughn was trying to get his daughter to stop crying.

Ricky has some unusual cousins, poor kid. Julie was thrilled with her new baby brother and took about a three dozen photos with the digital camera I brought her for her thirteenth birthday last month. She was going to mail them to all her friends' back in Miami. I'd invited her to stay for a week in Trenton with us. I was taking a week off so that we could spend time together as a family.

"You all right, Dad?" asked Jools, snapping me out of my train of thought. I nodded and handed her a burger I had just grilled. It felt good to hear her call me Dad again; it had been her first word when she was young.

"I'm fine," I said. "How's school?"

She shrugged. "School is…school," she took a bite of her burger and looked at me nervously. "Dad, how would you feel if I started dating."

"I would personally hunt the boy down and shoot him for so much as looking at my daughter," I said simply. "Why do you ask?"

She shrugged again. "No reason."

I would have thought she'd know that I'd do anything to keep her safe after what happened with Scrog. Thirteen was way to young to be dating, and I didn't want her seeing someone I knew nothing about. I didn't want her to be in a relationship with a boy who only wanted her for her body. I didn't want her dating someone that was like me when I was a teenager, and I'd do anything to stop that from happening to Ricky.

I felt Steph's arms wrap around my waist and rested my hands on hers. "Where's the baby?"

"With Bobby and Tank," she said, kissing the nape of my neck.

I turned around and looked at her. "You left him alone with those two?"

She smiled. "Don't worry, my mom's with them."

I brushed a curl out of her face and leaned in for a kiss.

We kept the kissing to a PG level for my nieces and nephews sake. Once we'd pulled back, Steph picked up a champagne glass and tapped the side with a spoon. Everyone looked up and I gave her a gentle push forward.

She cleared her throat and smiled. "We'd just like to thank you all for being here today and for all of the help I've received over the last six months, when I first found out I was pregnant, and for all of the help when Ranger was hurt," she leaned against my chest and smiled. I reached into my pocket and slipped the engagement ring onto her finger. "It really means a lot to me."

"We also have a lot to celebrate today," I said, picking up a glass of champagne. "The birth of our beautiful son, Ricky, Stephanie deciding to move in with me, and her not having blown anything up in months."

Everyone laughed and she hit me playfully in the chest, blushing slightly. "But we have something else to celebrate today. Something I never thought I would say, yet alone be happy about or looking forward to. Earlier this morning, I asked Stephanie a question that would change both our lives," I paused for a moment. "I asked her to marry me and she said yes."

A round of applause broke out, but no one looked that surprised. Except Morelli, who Steph had invited. He looked shocked, obviously pissed off at the fact that she was marrying me and not him, he had had his chance and failed. Mrs Plum and my mother had tears in their eyes and Lester popped the cork of a bottle of champagne. My men whistled and began to chant _kiss her, kiss her, kiss her_. So I did.

"I love you, Carlos," she whispered, her lips brushing against my own when we had pulled back.

I rested my forehead against hers and closed my eyes. "You to, Babe. So much. Don't ever forget it."


End file.
